3rd Corner/Pacific Lighthouse Tour

[RandyShields]

As previewed in the Ride and Event Planning forum a few weeks ago, I am several days into my ride along the coast and national parks of the Pacific Northwest.  On my epic 9,000-mile Westward Ho ride a few years ago, I clipped the eastern borders of Oregon and Washington, but didn’t get to the coast or my third U.S. corner (Blaine, WA) as originally hoped.  That gap is about to be corrected as I finished a golfing trip in Bandon Dunes, OR, and set off on my RT which met me at the resort (courtesy of LeAnn, the wonderful logistics manager, who kindly agreed to accept delivery of the bike.)

 

The plan is simple – experience the beautiful sights on the OR and WA coast, with occasional eastward jaunts for locations like Crater Lake, NP, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier, NP.  I will also see Olympic NP, ride the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier NP, and Beartooth Pass in MT and WY, which re-opened a few weeks ago after floods washed out part of the road.  It was closed for snow on my previous trip. 

 

Additionally, I learned about the Iron Butt Association’s Lighthouse Tour and plan to visit a number of lighthouses on the OR and WA coasts.  That will give me a good jump start on getting to the required 60 in 12 months.

 

If all goes well, I will ride 5,300 miles in 16 days, so sit back with a cold one and ride along with me as I explore and recount each day’s travels in this 3^rd Corner/Pacific Lighthouse Tour ride report.  After being on my back months ago and needing several epidural injections for debilitating lower back and hip pain, I am thrilled to be well enough to do this. 

 

I became more excited about this trip as the golfing in Bandon winded down.  We had a wonderful sunset in town the night before ride day 1.

[RandyShields]

Day 1 of ride: Bandon Dunes to Crater Lake NP (196 mi.)

 

The logistics of shipping golf clubs and a suitcase home, while pulling out what is needed for a 3-week ride was not too easy.  I finally got on the road late afternoon after a quick shower for the ride to Crater Lake NP.  After exiting US 101, I ventured east on some lovely roads that include some Oregon Scenic Byways.  A few stops along the way include the Sandy Creek Bridge, an old covered bridge that carried traffic from 1921 until it was bypassed in 1949. I also stopped for photos as the Avenue of the Boulders and Rogue River view, both rugged and beautiful.

 

I was hustling by the end to get to the Crater Lake Lodge before the dining room closed.  Alas, I made it in time to find that they were full.  Luckily, I could sit in the lobby and have an appetizer and glass of wine, while admiring the wonder of the location.  The photos do not do justice to the site – it is over 5 miles across and the deepest caldera in the US at 2100 feet (caldera is a fancy word for a volcanic crater).  This one was formed 7,700 years ago from the eruption and collapse of Mt. Mazama.  Interestingly, the water is a deep blue and is filled naturally with precipitation and snow melt, with no river access.  Definitely a worthwhile visit.

[Hosstage]

Gorgeous!

[RTinNC]

Nice photos for sure !!   Crater is now on my list for next year when I do California !!   Keep them coming !! 

[MikeB60]

Great pics.  DyAnne is from Coquille, Oregon just to the east of Bandon.  Bandon Dunes is a great track sure it was worth the hassle of shipping the clubs.  

 

Picture of the RT in front tf the covered bridge looked familiar.  Stopped there in June of 1990 after picking up my Fat Boy in Phoenix OR in 1990.  

[RTinNC]

56 minutes ago, MikeB60 said:

Great pics.  DyAnne is from Coquille, Oregon just to the east of Bandon.  Bandon Dunes is a great track sure it was worth the hassle of shipping the clubs.  

 

Picture of the RT in front tf the covered bridge looked familiar.  Stopped there in June of 1990 after picking up my Fat Boy in Phoenix OR in 1990.  

WOW ... that was the first year of the Fat Boy in that classic silver!  

[RandyShields]

Day 2: Crater Lake to Newport, OR (296 mi.)

 

Day 2 was a fun day.  Leaving the park took me around the east rim of the lake.  The elevation changed from lake level to several hundred feet down on a road carved into the steep side of the rock cliff.  I had to be aware of rock slides and, with no guardrail, needed to take care with the sightseeing. 

 

First stop was Diamond Lake, another pretty volcanic lake in the Umpqua national forest with Mt. Thielsen to the east.  I didn’t realize this area of Oregon had such a violent geographic history.  Further along was the colliding rivers viewpoint, the confluence of the northbound Little River into the southbound North Umpqua River at Glide, Oregon.  This is a unique geological phenomenon -- after the rivers collide, both of them change their course like a T-junction and flow to the west towards the Pacific Ocean.

 

Descending down from nearly 5,000 feet, a lovely part of the ride was OR 138, a scenic byway though the Umpqua national forest.  I happened along the Steamboat Inn for a late morning brunch.  This was special – sitting at a table outside along the river, with a wonderfully friendly waitress.  She offered a latte that I enjoyed with eggs benedict; a slight step up from Bernie’s coffee and a pastry.

 

Continuing north up the coast, I visited 2 lighthouses -- Umpqua River Lighthouse, a lighthouse on the Oregon Coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Umpqua River on Winchester Bay, and Haceta Head lighthouse.  At Oregon Dunes, federally designated national recreation area, I got a workout climbing to the top of the dunes in motorcycle boots.  This area is one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world.  Some of these dunes are over 500 feet high. There was a lot of dune buggy and motorcycle riding, as well as sandboarding (like surf boarding only on sand). The highlight of this visit was chatting with Gary, a national park volunteer who made a beeline to my RT when I parked.  He had an interesting history, having lived all over, including Alaska; and he owned a K1200 a while back. 

 

The overnight stop was Newport, a small, seaside city on the Yaquina Bay, named for Newport, RI.  The area was originally home to the Yacona tribe, whose history can be traced back at least 3000 years. There was a quaint bayfront area of shops and restaurants, along with a bustling harbor.  In August 2011, NOAA moved its base for research ships from Seattle to Newport.  One unique side note, Newport was the retirement home of David Ogden Stiers, the actor who played Maj. Charles Winchester III on MASH.  In later years, he was an associate conductor of the local Newport orchestra.

[RTinNC]

Nice ....  looks like the Pacific NW weather is cooperating as well.   Enjoy! 

[RandyShields]

Day 3: Newport to Mt. St. Helens, WA (250 miles)

 

Day 3 was primarily the exploration of the Oregon coast, and 5 lighthouses, including Yaquina Bay lighthouse (built in 1871), Yaquina Head lighthouse (Oregon’s tallest at 93 feet), Cape Meares and, over on the Washington side – Cape Disappointment and North Head lighthouses in Ilwaco.

 

The ride led me up the 3 capes scenic loop, a lovely coastline ride west of US 101.  After Tillamook, I visited the Lewis and Clark memorial/Fort Clatsop near Astoria.  The Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805–1806 at Fort Clatsop, a small log structure southwest of modern-day Astoria. The expedition had hoped a ship would come by that could take them back east, but instead they endured a torturous winter of rain and cold. They later returned overland and by internal rivers, the way they had traveled west. Today the fort has been recreated and is part of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. 

A few side notes on Astoria.  It sits at the mouth of the Columbia River. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and was the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The city is named for John Jacob Astor, the entrepreneur from New York City, whose American Fur Co. founded Fort Astoria at the site and established a monopoly in the fur trade in the early nineteenth century. His fame and wealth did not prevent him from going down with the Titanic, though. It is understandable why early explorers thought they had discovered another bay when they encountered the Columbia – the Megler bridge from one side to the other is over 4 miles long!

 

And, notable people from Astoria -- it is claimed that Gable began his career at the Astoria Theatre in 1922.  But, of the many notable people from Astoria, the one that caught my attention was Holly Madison, a buxom Playboy model Holly Madison, one of Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends.

 

I had hoped to get to Mt. St. Helens on this day, but was worn out by the many stops and the heat.  So I stopped short at the Mt. St. Helens motel.  It was unique because the owner, Ellen, did not ask for a credit card when I made the reservation.  When I met her, I asked how many guests did not show up with such a trusting practice.  She replied: none.  Everyone shows up.  Astounding.  I also saw the largest jade plant I have ever seen in the entrance to the rooms.  And consistent with the type of place it is – there were real keys handed out, no access cards.

[RTinNC]

Astoria was the city with the absolute steepest hills I had ever seen.  It put San Francisco to shame.  

 

When I visited Cape Disappointment I was "disappointed" that it was not rougher than it was and I did not see any Coast Guard folks out there training. 

 

Sounds great!!   Enjoy! 

[RandyShields]

Day 4: Mt. St. Helens to Mt. Rainier NP/Westport, OR (370 mi.)

 

Day 4 started early with the 50-mile ride to Mt. St. Helens, which takes its name from the British diplomat Lord St. Helens, a friend of explorer George Vancouver, who surveyed the area in the late 18th century. The volcano is part the Pacific Ring of Fire. The initial views were at about 10 miles, but the most spectacular views were at the Johnston Ridge Observatory at the base of the mountain.  It was established as a National Monument in 1982.

 

Some history: Mount St. Helens erupted May 1980, and remains one of the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic events in U.S. history, including 57 people killed, the destruction of 200 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway. The resulting debris avalanche triggered by a 5.1 earthquake, caused a lateral eruption that reduced the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677 ft to 8,363 ft leaving a 1-mile wide horseshoe-shaped crater facing north. It is pretty spectacular in person.

The volcano experienced continuous volcanic activity until 2008. Geologists predict that future eruptions will be more destructive, as the configuration of the lava domes require more pressure to erupt.  (Hope I am well away from the area when that happens.)

 

From there, I pushed north to Mt. Rainier.  The peak could start to be seen at least 50-miles away.  But it took patience to visit, as the miles long line for park entry took 40 minutes in the sweltering heat.  One Gold Wing rider bailed after 20 minutes; I guess he was not as tough as the BMW riders in line. My former K1600 would have overheated several times.

This mountain is a beautiful brute.  It ascends 14,410 feet above sea level. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning five major rivers. The NP was established on March 2, 1899, as the fifth national park in the United States, preserving 236,381 acres. The entire park was designated a National Historic Landmark District on February 18, 1997.  As expected, there were breathtakingly beautiful views. Rainier is a noted hiking destination, with dozens of trails; Oregon is definitely a destination for outdoorsy types – the many Subarus in the parking lot and out on the roads include bike racks, kayaks, canoes.  Hiking, fishing and camping are the local pastimes.

 

On the ride back west, I stopped at the Recycled Spirits of Iron Sculpture Park. This random collection included dozens of animals, monsters, motorcycles, and structures – all wrought from the imagination and materials found by the artist Dan Klennert. It was worth a stop.

 

I overnighted on the coast in Westport, on a peninsula on the south side of the entrance to Gray’s Harbor.  The cottage rental had a nice view of the marina, the largest on the outer coast of the Pacific Northwest, and home to a large commercial fishing fleet and several recreational charter fishing vessels.  Some pushed off at 4 am.  While it was a quaint town, most of the restaurants closed at 6 pm, leaving me searching for food.  This place is not quite ready for prime time.

[RTinNC]

Wow …. Both times I visited Rainier there were no lines and we just cruised in.  The situation with National Park visitors is getting serious.  We’ll see what Yellowstone and Tetons is like in September.

 

Nice Report and pictures.   What have temperatures been like?

 

Be safe and enjoy!

[RandyShields]

Day 5:  Westport to Olympic NP/Port Angeles, WA (299 mi,)

 

Got a late start on day 5.  This was the first day of the wet, misty cool weather I had been expecting.  Temps at the start of the ride were in the upper 50s, and I hoped I would not see a return of the prior day’s 97° heat.

 

At 40 miles in, I had quite a scare.  I reached down and didn’t feel my motorcycle key in my right jacket pocket, where I always keep it.  I pulled over in a panic and started the search, careful not to turn off the RT in case the key was on the ground where I started.  It was not in any of the locks.  After starting to think about how long a day I would have if I had to backtrack, or having to get by on my spare key, I finally found it in my pants pocket.  The relief I felt lasted for the next hour.

 

At my late breakfast, I stopped to dig something out of my tank bag, and everything inside was damp from my leaking Platypus.  I initially noticed this issue the prior day and put it in a plastic storage bag, but that did not work.  The thing was at least 15-20 years old and had numerous creases – one of which finally gave way.  My wife is always chiding me for keeping things past their useful life, so I finally threw it away.  Later that morning, near Forks, WA (named after forks in 4 nearby rivers), I saw a sporting goods store, and they luckily had on the shelf the new model of the exact size I needed.  How great was that.  And the bite valve worked way better.  I should have done this years ago.

 

Heading up to Olympic NP I had to deal with miles of chip and seal road repairs.  It is not good when they post Motorcycles Use Extreme Caution signs every few miles.  I hate that stuff – why not just bite the bullet and repave?  Oh, cost. 

 

Two lighthouses on the itinerary were busts; both were off-shore and the marine fog layer prevented any photo op.  At least the temps stayed cool.

I took the suggestion of MikeRC and diverted west along the Juan de Fuca scenic byway over to Cape Flattery – the furthest northwestern point of the continental US.  It was a lovely, scenic ride, although the roads had a lot of heave and were not in the best shape.  The views across the Strait were spectacular, and it was easy to see the Canadian mountains on the other side of the water.  Kind of like Sarah Palin seeing Russians from her kitchen window.  Well, maybe not quite, but I got a chuckle thinking about that.

 

I bypassed several entrances to Olympic National Park on the west and wound around to the north entrance, up Hurricane Ridge Rd.  Olympic is so large, it has four regions with unique ecosystems: the 70-mile Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the rainforest on the west, and the forests of the drier north and east sides. It was originally designated as Mount Olympus National Monument on March 2, 1909.  Even with a million acres, 12 national parks are larger!  Hurricane Ridge was a very scenic winding road that reminded me a lot of the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC, only with mountains that were taller, deeper and snow covered. The view from the Visitor Center was quite panoramic. 

 

My overnight lodging was at the Quality Inn uptown, which was near the waterfront and many restaurants.  I haven’t seen a pink art-deco bathroom like that in some time, but it worked!

[RTinNC]

I can imagine the panic in not feeling your key in your pocket.  I always carry a spare key (my RT as a REAL key and I love it)  On my GS I would be stuck using the plastic key but honestly I keep my fob buried in the tail bag and don't carry it with me.  LOL ... Platypus ... thought you had a friend along !!  HA !!  Guess that is another reason I don't use one but prefer to just stop and hydrate.   

Love the 50's bathroom !! 

 

[BamaJohn]

Really enjoying your travel log and photos, Randy!  Your knowledge of the history on your routes is impressive!

Ride Safe!

[Scott9999]

3 hours ago, RTinNC said:

I can imagine the panic in not feeling your key in your pocket.  I always carry a spare key (my RT as a REAL key and I love it)  On my GS I would be stuck using the plastic key but honestly I keep my fob buried in the tail bag and don't carry it with me.  LOL ... Platypus ... thought you had a friend along !!  HA !!  Guess that is another reason I don't use one but prefer to just stop and hydrate.   

Love the 50's bathroom !! 

 

Just bought a metal spare and will have it cut soon, to use for EVERYTHING not involving starting and actually riding the bike.  My primary key goes in my right jacket pocket, and will remain there always.  I even get tired of trying to figure out where I put the dang thing around the house when I'm not riding the bike.    I've got two plastic spares which I will keep somewhere on me (along with a page of the manual that explains how to start the bike without the primary ring key).

[RTinNC]

2 minutes ago, Scott9999 said:

Just bought a metal spare and will have it cut soon, to use for EVERYTHING not involving starting and actually riding the bike.  My primary key goes in my right jacket pocket, and will remain there always.  I even get tired of trying to figure out where I put the dang thing around the house when I'm not riding the bike.    I've got two plastic spares which I will keep somewhere on me (along with a page of the manual that explains how to start the bike without the primary ring key).

Yes ... I have a metal key for my GS as well that I use for my GPS as the fob switchblade thing seems pretty fragile so it never gets used.    I never understood the value of the dang fob especially on the GS where is only operates the ignition !!   Guess  that is what they call progress .... and now I have to worry about the fob battery! 

 

[Tom Blocker]

Randy,  Thanks for the tour, what an amazing place!!

[RTinNC]

I’ve crossed the US on 2 wheels probably 3 or 4 times ….. reading this makes me really wanting to do it again!!

 

Thanks Randy!

[RandyShields]

Day 6:  Port Angeles to Blaine/Leavenworth, WA (325 mi.)

 

I was up early to capture two lighthouses before catching the ferry in Port Townsend.  Unfortunately, being surrounded by so much water (Salish Sea, Sequim Bay, Discovery Bay), there was a heavy blanket of fog over everything near the shore.  Lighthouse 1 was a bust.  But luckily, I could get close enough to the Point Wilson lighthouse to snap a pic.

 

That let me get into the queue for the ferry before anyone else arrived.  I was only 90 minutes early.  Eventually, I was joined by a Navy vet on his Victory who briefed me on the ferry process, along with three nice couples on Harleys from British Columbia.  There was also a youngster on a Kawasaki 400 with 3 deer whistles on his front fender.  I asked him if they worked and he responded that he had no scientific proof, but the deer did seem to stop and stay still when he was approaching.  After being laid up for a year after a prior deer strike, he was taking no chances.

 

After disembarking, I stopped at the nearby Admiralty Head lighthouse for the final beacon of my Pacific tour.  From there I crossed over the Deception Bridge, a commonly photographed landmark of the Puget Sound region, but it was also encased in fog, so I couldn’t even see the water underneath the bridge.

 

Next was a short 46-mile slab ride up I 5 to my 3^rd U.S. corner in Blaine, WA.  I took a photo of the Peace Arch, which commemorates treaties and agreements between Canada and the US that arose from the war of 1812.  The arch is in the 20-acre Peace Arch Park – unique among parks because it consists of two parks in two countries. The southern half of the park and the monument itself is in the US, and the northern half, is in British Columbia. You can walk the park without going through customs, but I noticed a number of border patrol vehicles about.

 

After riding I 5 down to Everett WA, I made the turn back east on WA 20.  I thought this was going to be painful after the first 30 miles had 35 mph slowdowns through several towns, each with numerous stop lights.  But refreshingly, after that, the road turned into a wonderfully scenic ride up into the Cascades (the Cascades Scenic Loop).  It reminded me of heading into the lovely Laurel Highlands from Pittsburgh, only with bigger mountains.

 

The stop for the evening was Leavenworth, WA, an alpine-themed town similar to Helen, GA, but with goats to help trim the hills of the outside putt-putt course.  Like Helen, the evolution occurred for economic reasons starting in the 1960s. With the mountain backdrop, I couldn’t help but think of the Sound of Music. Yes, I know the film took many dramatic liberties with the history of the Von Trapp family, but it is still my favorite move of all time.  I had a great dinner of Weiner schnitzel at Andreas Keller (Bernie would know that keller = cellar) with live Bavarian accordion music.  Walking back to my hotel (the Linderhof Inn), I came across a unique schedule of the local summer theater offerings.  Yep, the Sound of Music was on the list!  What an enjoyable day.

[RTinNC]

WOW ... those bikes don't looks like they are strapped down??   I love the Canadian ferries where bikes are first on and first off :-) 

 

Be Safe ! 

[RandyShields]

No, not strapped down.  It was a big, very stable ferry -- 4 decks and very little wallowing, even with seas that were a bit choppy.

 

[RandyShields]

Day 7: Leavenworth to Coeur D’Alene, ID (226 mi)

 

This was a shorter day at 226 miles, but the temps were up (80° by 9 am, and 90° most of the day), so I was just as worn out at the end as if it was a longer ride.  The route took me east on US 2, and I diverted north to visit the Grand Coulee Dam. This was a spectacular 550-foot concrete gravity dam to capture the water flow from the Columbia River to produce hydroelectric power and irrigation water to the Pacific Northwest.  It took 9 years to build, from 1933 and 1942, and created the Franklin D. Roosevelt Reservoir.  It allowed the river to continue its natural flow, and also provided the water for 27-mile long Banks Lake, stopped further south by the Dry Falls dam that US 2 goes over (it is always cool to be able to ride over a dam).  With the construction of the third power station after WWII, Grand Coulee became one of the largest power generators in the US.

 

The geography of central and eastern Washington was a surprise.  Unlike the green mountains and forests of the western part of the state, this was generally flat, with a few rolling hills, and miles of wheat fields.  At the same time, it was generally brown, and there were rock gorges and outcroppings all over.  It reminded me of a cross between Kansas and Utah.  In one of the fallow crop fields, I saw two 15 feet high dust devils – very cool.

 

Thirty miles west of Spokane, I arrived at Coeur D’Alene, ID, also the site of a recent MOA Getaway. The city is named after the Coeur d'Alene people, a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans who live along the rivers and lakes of the region, in a territory of 4,000,000 acres from eastern Washington to Montana. After an economic history of mining and logging, its mainstay over the past 40 years has been tourism.  One of the other observations: there are dozens of native American tribes and casinos in this region.  I didn’t realize it had so many local tribes in the Pacific Northwest.

Getting into town earlier than other days, I was able to follow the Ed Apelian school of traveling: before my shower, I did a thorough bike cleaning, instead of the quick windshield wash that had been the practice up to this point.  Boy, was the RT dirty.  And I noticed some pesky nicks on various surfaces from that terrible chip and seal sections of road repairs.  Grrrr.  Did I say I hate that stuff?

 

I think one of the risks of a trip like this is being too rigidly tied to a schedule/ride plan.  With that in mind, I arrived at the conclusion that – either through some bad math on my part, or more destructive roads than anticipated (or both) – my tires needed to be replaced before the planned stop in Denver on day 13.  The Michelin Road 5s have about 6,000 miles on them, which is about my average.  The rear looks surprisingly good, but the front is almost at the wear bars.  I could probably get another 500-1,000 miles on them, but I am hesitant about the 1,500 they would have by Denver – especially with an upcoming trek through MT and over Bear Tooth Pass.  So, I will make the 3-hour run down I 90 early tomorrow morning to Big Sky Motorsports in Missoula, MT for a new set before heading up to Glacier.  It will be a slightly longer day than anticipated, but I will feel better with new rubber for the Rockies.  An advance shout-out to Buster and Big Sky for agreeing to get me taken care of in the morning, as well as to the team at Foothills BMW in Denver for having me on their schedule originally. I left a message for Tyler, the service manager, but will call to personally thank Zack in parts as well.

[RTinNC]

Trip sounds great and kudos for getting the bike cleaned up 

 

Tires can sometimes suffer from sudden death syndrome especially on different road surfaces.   But good for you in getting a new set at a relatively close dealer.  I have never been to Big Sky in Missoula but have been to the Harley dealer there.  I have found that most dealers are really good when you are a traveler in need of assistance. 

 

And I am shocked that they did not require strapping the bike down ,,,, I usually carry a light strap that I use on ferries and would have strapped anyway if there was a tie down point.  

 

Here is a great video on Bear Tooth! 

 

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=!ABeoDu0MUbfJI04&cid=690D722FF3419C8F&id=690D722FF3419C8F!2976&parId=690D722FF3419C8F!2974&o=OneUp

 

Enjoy ! 

 

[MikeRC]

Thanks for taking the time for the write-up and pictures, Randy.  Your route was pretty ambitious, so I didn't want to suggest much in changes or side-trips.  I'm glad you changed from US to WA20 to go over the Cascade Range.  All those rock gorges and outcrops you went thorough in central Washington are known as the scablands and are the the result of the Great Missoula Floods.  Fascinating reading.  You were only a couple of miles from one of the most extreme examples at Sun Lakes - Dry Falls State Park when you turned north to go to Grand Coulee.  At Grand Coulee you were less than 30 miles from Young Chief Joseph's gravesite in Nespelem.  But all those sidetrips would take time. 

 

Tomorrow you might consider going from Missoula to Apgar via MT200 and MT83 (Seeley Lake/Condon).  Probably 1/10th the traffic of US 93 and only 30 miles further.  More significantly probably 1/10th the number of crosses beside the road from fatal accidents, many of which are at the intersections to those casinos you noticed.  

 

Mike C

[RandyShields]

Thanks Mike. Didn't see this until I got my tires and already arrived in Glacier via the standard route. Boy you aren't kidding about the number of crosses on the side of the route. There had to be at least 40-50 of them.

[RandyShields]

Day 8: Coeur D’Alene to Glacier NP via Missoula (303 mi).

 

Day 8 was challenging in a number of respects. Flexing to get new tires was not difficult, other than second guessing myself all night and not getting enough rest.  Did I jump the gun and leave 1500 miles of tread on the tires?  I don’t think so, but doubt was creeping in. Then, I realized I would lose an hour traipsing to Missoula, so my 6:30 am departure turned into a 5:30 am departure to get there by 9 am.

 

The nice part of the 166-mile ride was the scenery.  I 90 East is probably one of the most scenic interstate rides I have ever experienced.  It started the beauty of Lake Coeur d’Alene, the Coeur d’Alene river into the mountains, then following the Clark Fork River into town.  This is a famous trout river. The river and town were the inspiration for the film The River Runs Through It. I had to stop to put on the heated liner when the temps dropped to 53°, but that was ok.  I reminded myself to think back on this when I was in the afternoon heat of the Midwest. 

 

Buster, the service manager, met me at Big Sky Motorsports.  The promised 2 hour turn around was actually less, and he had me on my way in an astounding 90 minutes1  I was very grateful. It would have been fun to further explore Missoula.  I read that it has become a haven for artists and hippies, many of whom never left town after attending The University of Montana.

 

From there, I headed north to a very anticipated stop on the trip – Glacier NP and the Going to the Sun Road.  The ride up was via US 93 to MT 34.  It went by the lovely 27-mile long Flathead Lake and also a lot of casinos with numerous traffic fatality crosses on the side of the road.  I didn’t get MikeRC’s suggestion for an alternate route until later, but wish I had.  Seeing a cross every mile or so was troubling.  It was made more challenging by the lack of sleep catching up to me the last 50 miles or so.  Tossing and turning the night before did prove to be a challenge.  Even a couple of Red Bulls barely helped.

 

I entered the park at the West Glacier entrance.  One of the challenges for this portion of the trip is the reservation system put in place to address the heavy traffic on the GTTSR.  Permits are made available the day before they can be used, and are good for a 3-day period.  After averaging 2 million visitors a season, the prior few seasons were over 3.5 million.  That was too close for comfort, but one also gets access to the road if they have a service reservation in the park – tours, lodging, etc.  I thought the vehicle reservation timing was a little too risky, so I got the last cabin at the Apgar Lodge, just inside the west entrance of the park.  I am glad I did; I saw a number of vehicles turned away.  I would have hated to make such a long trip only to be stopped from getting into the park.

 

The line was not very long, because the park rangers simply asked if I had a road and park reservation. Yes and yes, and they waved me through without asking to see anything!  That is how you handle traffic flow issues. 

 

The cabin was cute but a bit dated.  It was right next to Lake McDonald, which was a pretty view.  I didn’t mind no TV, but it was 88 degrees and there was no AC.  Also, there was no cell service and the Wifi was spotty, which is why this is late.  Luckily, there was a nearby restaurant and bar, and the bed was comfy.  We got our first rain of the trip – a late evening thunderstorm.  The area is parched, so the rain was welcome.  Surprisingly, the RT had pretty much dried off by morning, other than the seat.  Amazing.  Lots of anticipation for tomorrow.

[RandyShields]

Day 9: Glacier NP to Bozeman, MT (378 mi).

 

I awoke with much anticipation for a ride I have been thinking about for a long time: visiting the Going to the Sun Road had been a must do ride for a long time. 

 

I got out around 7 am and got in front of a number of cars heading to the top, but I just had to stop for numerous photo ops.  The visuals in the park are utterly stunning, whether looking up or down.  The bottom of the road along McDonald Lake is gentle and scenic, but then turns upwards and is a test.

 

The road would be as much of an engineering feat today as it was a hundred years ago.  It is narrow and challenging, even at 25 mph – not for the faint of heart and definitely not for a novice rider.  My wife is afraid of heights, and would have had her eyes closed the whole way up.  The 3-foot tall rock or log barriers would likely not help if one had a lapse, and the fall is thousands of fee straight down a rock mountainside.

 

I found the history of the park and road fascinating:

 

Glacier National Park is one of the most popular national parks, located along the Canadian border.  In 2019, it saw more than 3.5 million visitors.  Glacier encompasses more than 1 million acres and includes parts of two mountain ranges, more than 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem," protected land encompassing 16,000 square miles.

 

Going-to-the-Sun Road is a scenic 50-mile winding road that traverses the park, crossing the Continental Divide through Logan Pass at an elevation of 6,646 feet, which is the highest point on the road. Construction began in 1921 and was completed in 1932 with formal dedication in the following summer on July 15, 1933. The road is the first to have been registered in all of the following categories: National Historic Place, National Historic Landmark, and Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. As seen in one of the photos, the dedication, held at the Logan Pass visitor center, hosted more that 4,000 attendees, including representatives of many local tribes.

 

The road is one of the most difficult roads in North America to snowplow in the spring. Up to 80 feet of snow can lie on top of Logan Pass, and more just east of the pass where the deepest snowfield has long been referred to as the Big Drift. The road takes about ten weeks to plow, even with equipment that can move 4,000 tons of snow in an hour. The snowplow crew can clear as little as 500 feet (150 m) of the road per day. On the east side of the Continental Divide, there are few guardrails due to heavy snows and the resultant late-winter avalanches that have destroyed protective barriers. The latest opening of the road was on July 13, 2011,

 

The road is named after Going-to-the-Sun Mountain which dominates the eastbound view beyond Logan Pass. One Native American legend concerns the deity Sour Spirit who came down from the sun to teach the Blackfeet the basics of hunting. While returning to the sun, an image of Sour Spirit was placed on the mountain as an inspiration for the Blackfeet.

Interestingly, Going-to-the-Sun Road is shown in the opening credits of the 1980 film The Shining, and was also seen briefly in Forrest Gump. (As Forrest reminisces with Jenny he remembers running across the U.S. and remarks, "Like that mountain lake. It was so clear, Jenny. It looked like there were two skies, one on top of the other." 

Coming off the mountain, I got a good glimpse back the other direction, across St. Marys Lake.

 

After Glacier, my new favorite national park, I was pretty hyped up for the ride to Bozeman.  US 89 goes through the Lewis and Clark National Forest and was very scenic. 

 

I had seen on the map and planned to stop to get a photo of the Shields River, a 65-mile long tributary of the Yellowstone River, about 35 miles northwest of Bozeman.  I actually got a lot more.  Pulling over at a nearby historic marker, I was surprised to see some history on the river – including that it and the valley had been named for Jack Shields, one of the wilder members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  There was even a nice bronze statue of the man.  I definitely need to do some more family research to see if there is any connection.

 

There were only two downsides to the afternoon ride.  The first was having to deal with two 5-mile sections of road construction.  Signs suggested that motorcyclists consider another route.  Whatt??  First, there was no alternate route, but clearly the reason was because they had taken both lanes down to the bedrock and then liberally applied gravel to get the road ready to pave.  I have never seen anything like this before.  After seeing some Harley’s and Gold Wings coming from the other direction, I knew I could handle it; go slow at 25 mph and let the front tire generally go where it wanted to go.

 

The last 35 miles into Bozeman was down Bridger Canyon Road, with the first half being a surprisingly hilly and technical set of turns descending off the mountain, down to sweepers with a 70-mph speed limit.  Definitely a fun way to end a long ride – other than the 30-minute wait for road paving only 5 miles from town.  At least this road was paved.  Another fantastic day in the saddle.

[RTinNC]

Nice report and exactly why I love riding in that part of the west!   Enjoy and stay safe! 

[Scott9999]

5 hours ago, RandyShields said:

Day 9: Glacier NP to Bozeman, MT (378 mi).

 

I awoke with much anticipation for a ride I have been thinking about for a long time: visiting the Going to the Sun Road had been a must do ride for a long time. 

 

I got out around 7 am and got in front of a number of cars heading to the top, but I just had to stop for numerous photo ops.  The visuals in the park are utterly stunning, whether looking up or down.  The bottom of the road along McDonald Lake is gentle and scenic, but then turns upwards and is a test.

 

The road would be as much of an engineering feat today as it was a hundred years ago.  It is narrow and challenging, even at 25 mph – not for the faint of heart and definitely not for a novice rider.  My wife is afraid of heights, and would have had her eyes closed the whole way up.  The 3-foot tall rock or log barriers would likely not help if one had a lapse, and the fall is thousands of fee straight down a rock mountainside.

 

I found the history of the park and road fascinating:

 

Glacier National Park is one of the most popular national parks, located along the Canadian border.  In 2019, it saw more than 3.5 million visitors.  Glacier encompasses more than 1 million acres and includes parts of two mountain ranges, more than 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem," protected land encompassing 16,000 square miles.

 

Going-to-the-Sun Road is a scenic 50-mile winding road that traverses the park, crossing the Continental Divide through Logan Pass at an elevation of 6,646 feet, which is the highest point on the road. Construction began in 1921 and was completed in 1932 with formal dedication in the following summer on July 15, 1933. The road is the first to have been registered in all of the following categories: National Historic Place, National Historic Landmark, and Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. As seen in one of the photos, the dedication, held at the Logan Pass visitor center, hosted more that 4,000 attendees, including representatives of many local tribes.

 

The road is one of the most difficult roads in North America to snowplow in the spring. Up to 80 feet of snow can lie on top of Logan Pass, and more just east of the pass where the deepest snowfield has long been referred to as the Big Drift. The road takes about ten weeks to plow, even with equipment that can move 4,000 tons of snow in an hour. The snowplow crew can clear as little as 500 feet (150 m) of the road per day. On the east side of the Continental Divide, there are few guardrails due to heavy snows and the resultant late-winter avalanches that have destroyed protective barriers. The latest opening of the road was on July 13, 2011,

 

The road is named after Going-to-the-Sun Mountain which dominates the eastbound view beyond Logan Pass. One Native American legend concerns the deity Sour Spirit who came down from the sun to teach the Blackfeet the basics of hunting. While returning to the sun, an image of Sour Spirit was placed on the mountain as an inspiration for the Blackfeet.

Interestingly, Going-to-the-Sun Road is shown in the opening credits of the 1980 film The Shining, and was also seen briefly in Forrest Gump. (As Forrest reminisces with Jenny he remembers running across the U.S. and remarks, "Like that mountain lake. It was so clear, Jenny. It looked like there were two skies, one on top of the other." 

Coming off the mountain, I got a good glimpse back the other direction, across St. Marys Lake.

 

After Glacier, my new favorite national park, I was pretty hyped up for the ride to Bozeman.  US 89 goes through the Lewis and Clark National Forest and was very scenic. 

 

I had seen on the map and planned to stop to get a photo of the Shields River, a 65-mile long tributary of the Yellowstone River, about 35 miles northwest of Bozeman.  I actually got a lot more.  Pulling over at a nearby historic marker, I was surprised to see some history on the river – including that it and the valley had been named for Jack Shields, one of the wilder members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  There was even a nice bronze statue of the man.  I definitely need to do some more family research to see if there is any connection.

 

There were only two downsides to the afternoon ride.  The first was having to deal with two 5-mile sections of road construction.  Signs suggested that motorcyclists consider another route.  Whatt??  First, there was no alternate route, but clearly the reason was because they had taken both lanes down to the bedrock and then liberally applied gravel to get the road ready to pave.  I have never seen anything like this before.  After seeing some Harley’s and Gold Wings coming from the other direction, I knew I could handle it; go slow at 25 mph and let the front tire generally go where it wanted to go.

 

The last 35 miles into Bozeman was down Bridger Canyon Road, with the first have being a surprisingly hilly and technical set of turns descending off the mountain, down to sweepers with a 70-mph speed limit.  Definitely a fun way to end a long ride – other than the 30-minute wait for road paving only 5 miles from town.  At least this road was paved.  Another fantastic day in the saddle.

Wow, Randy, some of your one-day rides would be one-week for me.  They SOUNDED taxing, lol.  Congrats on all the fun you're having.  You sound like a man that deserves it.  👍🍻🏆

[mickeym3]

Having lived in the greater Seattle area many years and enjoying these exquisite places I’m getting antsy to strike out from Georgia and reverse your loop.  Our frequent RV trips to the PNW were waylaid this year by family matters but for anyone who’s never visited the area there’s still lots of good riding left this season so would encourage you to go for it. Kitsap (was a frequent poster for many years) and probably others know the pleasure of motorcycle commuting like myself using the Washington ferry system.  First on, first off is a perk of motorcycling that is literally priceless. Strapping down your bike is very rarely required but by all means you need to be prepared for it.  
 

Thanks for the great report and pictures!

[BamaJohn]

Good stuff Randy!  Sending wishes for Tailwinds to you.....jb

[RandyShields]

4 hours ago, Scott9999 said:

Wow, Randy, some of your one-day rides would be one-week for me.  They SOUNDED taxing, lol.  Congrats on all the fun you're having.  You sound like a man that deserves it.  👍🍻🏆

Thanks. Having fun. One could definitely spend a week at Coeur d'Alene or any of the parks. There is a lot to do.

[RTinNC]

23 hours ago, RandyShields said:

Thanks. Having fun. One could definitely spend a week at Coeur d'Alene or any of the parks. There is a lot to do.

LOL .... yes that is the one problem once you get west of the Mississippi there is so much to see and do you could spend months exploring all the cool places.  

[Scott9999]

5 hours ago, RTinNC said:

LOL .... yes that is the one problem once you get west of the Mississippi there is so much to see and do you could spend months exploring all the cool places.  

That's a funny comment, since the comment I frequently hear from West Coast folks is that, beginning with a central location like Tennessee, you could explore the byways and carriage roads of a dozen different states, for years and years, without repeating one, once.  It's funny what we ignore or take for granted in our own backyards, but long for, out in someone else's territory.  🙃😁

[RTinNC]

1 hour ago, Scott9999 said:

That's a funny comment, since the comment I frequently hear from West Coast folks is that, beginning with a central location like Tennessee, you could explore the byways and carriage roads of a dozen different states, for years and years, without repeating one, once.  It's funny what we ignore or take for granted in our own backyards, but long for, out in someone else's territory.  🙃😁

Well fortunately for us (Me, Randy, etc) we live in NC and truly appreciate the roads we have here in the southeast.   I have ridding a plethora of them and continue to find new ones on every ride.  But since we only get west of the Mississippi for brief periods of time it is hard to see and experience a lot of them.  In addition the west has a lot of wide open spaces unlike the east where it seems the roads and towns are pretty well crammed together.   Even in rural areas you just don't see and experience as many of those spaces.  The western states are bigger and more speed out so it requires more time to explore.   Both are wonderful places to ride and we are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful country where we are free to roam and explore.   I have ridden in all of the lower 48 states and crossed the US probably about 4 times but still feel I have not even scratched the surface of what there is to explore. 

[RandyShields]

I noticed that, with shrinking some photos to get more onto a post, the writing on some signs was illegible.  I post a few here with higher resolution.

[RandyShields]

Day 10: Bozeman to Lander, WY via Bear Tooth Pass (417 mi.)

 

This was my second trip to Bozeman, a real western town and one of fastest growing in MT, with a number of fancy restaurants and expensive lodging. The city is named after John M. Bozeman, who established the Bozeman Trail and was a founder of the town in August 1864. If anyone ever doubted Gary Cooper’s cowboy acting chops, he is a notable alum who grew up in Bozeman. 

 

I stayed at the Lark motel, a cool looking place in the heart of the town.  This Friday, seemingly everyone was out to visit the shops and restaurants.  The room at the Lark was very artsy and convenient to everything, but the downsides included limited parking, no refrigerator or coffee in the room, thin walls, and smoke from the evening fire pit wafting into the room.  Not all is what is seems from the outside.

 

That morning, I did a quick dash down I 90 then south to Red Lodge a cool historical town on the way to Bear Tooth Pass.  In 1896, Red Lodge had twenty saloons and, as the library records show, riotous and violent living was characteristic of the town.  Economic history was mining and bootleg liquor.  This morning, there was a lot of traffic heading south, including many Harleys, perhaps departing Sturgis early for some touring on the way home.

 

The ride up to Bear Tooth Pass was beautiful, and the views just kept getting better.  The speed limit is 40 mph, but the steep grades, hairpin turns and narrow lanes slow you down to 20 mph or less in many places.  The road was not as tight or nerve-wracking as the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier, but still plenty challenging.  The pass is part of the Beartooth Highway, an All-American Scenic Byway that links Red Lodge to Yellowstone.  It opened in 1936 after a 5-year building project.  It is heralded as one of the most scenic drives in the U.S. with truly breathtaking views of the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains in Wyoming and Montana.  It climbs to 10,947 and, as one would expect, is not open very long due to the snow.  At the top, you actually look down on many snowpacks that are still there in August.  Indeed, I was blocked from this ride 3 years ago at the end of May when the road was opened, then closed again due to snow.

 

After descending, I turned left onto the Chief Joseph Highway and another set of ascents and descents over some beautiful mountains and valleys into Cody.  The road follows the lovely Clarks Fork River through the Shoshone National Forest for much of the ride.  The sights were amazing.  Cody is the real western town (founded by Buffalo Bill Cody) at the end of the road. He was so impressed by the many development possibilities that he returned in the mid-1890s to start a town.  I wanted to stay overnight there, but it would have made the next day’s ride to Vail, CO too long, so I pushed on to Lander, WY.

 

The ride from Cody to Lander was surprisingly beautiful.  Much of it is designated the Chief Washakie Trail, after the well-respected Shoshone Chief.  Below Thermopolis, the road follows the dramatic and narrow Wind River Canyon, with the road on one side of the Wind River and railroad tracks on the other.  The tight canyon walls are steep and spectacular.  The canyon ends at the Boysen Dam, a rockfill dam at that creates the Boysen Reservoir.

 

The overnight stay was in Lander, WY (population 7,500), named in 1875 for General Frederick Lander, a transcontinental explorer who surveyed the Oregon Trail's Lander Cutoff.  It was originally settled in the early 20^th century by prospectors who came to mine gold.  I picked Lander for my stopover for two reasons.  First, it made the mileage from Bozeman to Vail more even.  And second, it was my first return to the site of our first real family vacatuon when I was about 13.  With two younger siblings and no SUVs or minivans in existence, we did the cross-country drive in an Olds Vista Cruiser station wagon to visit a good friend of my parents.  The trip gave us the opportunity to attend a local rodeo with real cowboys and cowgirls, visit Yellowstone and the Tetons, and take a Snake River raft trip.  Another family friend was the original owner of the Dairy Land Drive Inn, still standing and operating 50+ years later.  I think my love of the West originated on this trip.  It was very cool and heartwarming to see the town one more time.

Edited August 15, 2022 by RandyShields
Missing word

[RTinNC]

I love the ride through Wind River Canyon and have done that a few times.  My wife wants to do it last year as sh was reading the Joe Picket book and it referenced all the towns in that area.   Another great ride in the West.    Bear Tooth is great but honestly I like Chief Joseph as much if not more.  The only trouble with that route is you miss highway 14 from Cody to Yellowstone but as we noted before so many cool roads in the west you could spend months riding them! 

 

Bozeman is also the home of Montana State University which keeps it very much alive and growing as is the case with Laramie home oth the University of Wyoming. 

I have always enjoyed Cody but it is a slight bit on the touristy side.  But a great stop for sure! 

 

Great story.   Thanks!   Be safe! 

[RandyShields]

Day 11: Lander to Vail, CO (362 mi.)

 

Day 11 was somewhat nondescript after the many outstanding prior days’ rides.  I headed south along Medicine Bow National Forest and west of Rocky Mountain NP.  As I got closer on CO 14 and US 40, I chose not to continue all the way to I 70 then back west.  I turned west on CO 134 for what looked like a curvy road through the Arapahoe and Routt National Forests.  What a treat.  The first half of the road was over a small mountain with some tight turns.  I knew I had gotten lucky when several sport bikes were coming down the mountain my way; those guys always seem to find good roads.  I just had to keep a sharp eye on the occasional free-range cattle near the road.

 

This was also the first time I had seen a warning sign for bighorn sheep (rams).  That was a new one on me.

 

Coming over the mountain on the other side, I was staring directly at a large thunderstorm right in front of me with heavy rain coming down.  I guesstimated it was about 4-5 miles away.  Checking the GPS, my turn down CO 131 for the 50-mile run into Vail was 2 miles ahead.  I just made the turn and sprinted out in front of the storm, avoiding getting soaked as there was really nowhere to stop for raingear.  So far, 2 for 2 on this trip dodging thunderstorms.

 

The ride down CO 131 was pleasant, shifting from 40 mph to 60, depending on the turns and small towns.  From there, I turned east on CO 6 for the ride to Vail (actually, Minturn, a nearby town), where my nephew and his wife were going to put me up for the night.  The most notable thing about this stretch, which passes through Beaver Creek and Eagle Vail, was the large number of folks out riding their bicycles.  At least they had bike lanes and were not holding up traffic.

 

After pushing hard to get in early (and miss the thunderstorm), the beer tasted especially good.  Two new pups joined the aging Cynder – Moose and Hank.  Sweet dogs that I would get to sit for on the rest day I am looking forward to on Monday.

[RTinNC]

LMAO .... those doggies do not look happy to see you    Hope you brought treats !! 

[roadscholar]

Great report Randy especially enjoying the history. I missed the fact you were stopping in Vail (Minturn) but 134 and 131 are pretty cool little roads w/o much traffic. Don't know you're timing/schedule and you may have done these but a jaunt south on 24 (Red Cliff is kind of interesting along with Leadville) to Buena Vista then east on 285 or 24 (personally I'd bypass Denver, it is a zoo) or if pressed for time back up 91 over Fremont Pass. Once you hit the plains, that's it, the fun's over.

 

Heck I might even take 285 all the way to I-40 (Taos, Santa Fe) or US50 to 69 then 25 to 87 down to Amarillo, anything to avoid Kansas : ) 

[RTinNC]

8 minutes ago, roadscholar said:

Great report Randy especially enjoying the history. I missed the fact you were stopping in Vail (Minturn) but 134 and 131 are pretty cool little roads w/o much traffic. Don't know you're timing/schedule and you may have done these but a jaunt south on 24 (Red Cliff is kind of interesting along with Leadville) to Buena Vista then east on 285 or 24 (personally I'd bypass Denver, it is a zoo) or if pressed for time back up 91 over Fremont Pass. Once you hit the plains, that's it, the fun's over.

 

Heck I might even take 285 all the way to I-40 or US50 to 69 then 25 to 87 down to Amarillo, anything to avoid Kansas : ) 

LOL ... I don't mind Kansas as much as eastern Colorado!   

[roadscholar]

2 minutes ago, RTinNC said:

LOL ... I don't mind Kansas as much as eastern Colorado!   

 

Tough to tell the difference but true, I just find both excruciatingly boring : ) 

 

[RandyShields]

18 minutes ago, roadscholar said:

Heck I might even take 285 all the way to I-40 (Taos, Santa Fe) or US50 to 69 then 25 to 87 down to Amarillo, anything to avoid Kansas : ) 

Thanks Bill. Great suggestions, but not sure I can swing these on this trip.  And right you are, once into NE, these ride reports will be getting a lot less interesting.

[roadscholar]

Oops missed the Nebraska part (again : ) surely better than Kansas/Eastern Co.

[RTinNC]

10 minutes ago, RandyShields said:

Thanks Bill. Great suggestions, but not sure I can swing these on this trip.  And right you are, once into NE, these ride reports will be getting a lot less interesting.

Yeah yeah yeah .... guys always poo poo Kansas and Nebraska and there are some really pretty places in both states and some interesting POI's for sure in both.   The Flint Hills of eastern KS are really pretty and nice roads.   I am staying in Cottonwood Falls again next month in the Grand Central Hotel & Grill that is as neat as it gets and a town like Mayberry where they actually pumped my gas and cleaned my windshield for FREE!   Nebraska too has some really slick stuff and the sandhill scenic byway (highway 2) is a nice way to cross Nebraska.  

Now Eastern Colorado east of Denver .... THERE AIN'T NOTHING NICE THERE!    That is a fly over for sure ! ! 

[Hosstage]

The other nice feature of Nebraska is that you can see everything that people have replaced or has stopped working in their lives because all the old stuff is sitting in their front yards.

I'm pretty sure you'll lose track counting the number of vans from the 70's sitting up on blocks that you'll pass....

[RTinNC]

Just a few POIs in NE and KS  :-) 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monowi%2C_Nebraska

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matchstick_Marvels_Museum

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carhenge

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_Hills

 

https://www.twistedoz.com

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_Motorcycle_Museum

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_American_Speed

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Larned_National_Historic_Site

 

https://beaumonthotelks.com/attractions/

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottonwood_Falls%2C_Kansas#/media/File:Cottonwood_falls_overlook_2009.jpg

https://www.grandcentralhotel.com

 

 

[mickeym3]

Take the time to go south if you haven’t done 550 before (Million Dollar Highway), you won’t regret it.