Today has finally arrived. At 7:26am, Craig and I climbed on our Goldwing. Headed out on what we hope will be our biggest adventure yet: nineteen states in three weeks. Mother Nature seems to be doing her best to make this morning a challenge. The temperature outside is only 38°, but we were not deterred. As we traveled down the road, we kept telling ourselves that though the morning was a little cool (tremendous understatement), the afternoon should bring sunshine and warmer temperatures. Traveling via US 31 North, we encountered a couple of areas of road construction, which slowed our progress toward the Mighty Mac. Just north of Pellston, we passed a Superior Seafood truck heading south. It was Mike O. doing Kevins run. Once across the bridge, we stopped at our favorite rest area on US 2 and donned our chaps. What a difference they made. The additional layer of protection and warmth, allowed us to continue on to Escanaba before stopping for something to eat. After a quick lunch, we were back on the road. Our goal for today is to be through Wisconsin or very close to it. The afternoon was uneventful. The most significant event to report was suddenly coming up behind an Amish horse and buggy traveling down the road. The temperature only made it to 66 degrees, quite a change over last years trip when temperature soared into the 80s. We decided to call it a night at 6pm in Tohma, WI. Total miles traveled were 526, not bad considering that most of them were on two lane highways as opposed to interstate.
We got back on the road this morning just before 7am. The temperature was about 51° and the sky overcast. We made sure that we started the day with our chaps and sweatshirts to avoid catching a chill. As we traveled along the temperature seemed to drop, even though the thermometer failed to confirm this. The winds picked up adding to our misery. In an attempt to warm up, we stopped at a MacDonalds in Albert Lea for coffee and breakfast. We were not alone. Several bikers had the exact same thought. After warming up a little bit, we were back down the road attempting to cross Minnesota and get into South Dakota. The sun was still not visible though it was almost noon. When the chill again became too much, we pulled into a rest area to don another layer of clothing. We each had three shirts on along with our chaps. I even had Craigs winter gloves on. Onward we pressed. In order to be in Jackson on Tuesday, we need to travel halfway through South Dakota yet this afternoon. Off in the distance, the clouds seemed to be breaking up and the sun was trying to warm things up. Finally, after traveling all day, the sun poked through the clouds. With the added warmth, we decided to proceed to Murdo, South Dakota rounding our day out at 574 miles.
We hit the road this morning at 6:58am. What is the significance of being so exact with the time? After traveling approximately 20 miles this morning, we experienced 7am all over again as we entered the Mountain Time zone. Traveling west on I-90, we could not have imagined what we would run into around Rapid City, South Dakota. While stopped at a rest area, a fog bank rolled in reducing visibility to less than a quarter of a mile. The most frightening aspect of the whole situation was that we were traveling at speeds of 75 mph. Temperatures struggled to reach 55°. Any thoughts of visiting Devils Tower or the Black Hills would futile as you could hardy see your hand in front of your face. After traveling along for what seemed forever, we pulled into a little gas station in Sundance for coffee and doughnuts. Once back on the road, the fog seemed to lift almost as quickly as it set in and the temperature climbed to 77°. We stopped along the road to remove chaps and sweatshirts before proceeding to Buffalo. Once in Buffalo we took the mountain pass through the Big Horn National Forest. The views were breathtaking: rock cliffs overlooking lush pastures cut only by a winding river. We climbed for what seemed like an eternity until the snow line was reached, then we began our twisting descent down the mountainside. The only way to describe the experience is exhilarating. I hope that the pictures Craig took will do justice to the visions that we encountered. With temperatures soaring into the low 90s, Craig and I decided to stop in Worlund to sit in the shade and have a quick bottle of ice water. Yes, the cooler has proven to be an outstanding addition to our trailer. The only shade that we were able to locate was adjacent to the Sheriffs Department. Pulling up a curb, we decided to end our day in Thermopolis another 30 miles down the road. After a pleasant conversation with a local deputy, we were back on the road. When we finally parked the bike for the night, our miles were 489 for the day. Wow, three days in a row of nothing but endless driving. Tuesday will take us to our first destination, Jackson Hole.
This morning we were back on the road by 7am. Our only destination for the day is Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The trip from Thermopolis was uneventful except for the Meadowlark that decided to fly right into our windshield: Craig and Deb 1 Wildlife 0. We made our way into downtown Jackson Hole around noon, parked the bike, and made our way down to the town square and the webcam. I called Barb so that she and the kids could see us. Afterwards we headed down to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar for a quick burger and a beer. While waiting for our burgers, Craig got an unexpected cellular call from his boss. Once done, we walked around downtown and did some shopping. Due to the temperatures soaring into the nineties, we decided to locate our hotel and stop for the day. Of course, not before Craig was able to pick up a bottle of red wine to have with our pizza. We rounded out the day with 231 miles.
Thanks to a good nights sleep, Craig and I were both up before 5am. While drinking our morning coffee, we became aware of the fact that a thunderstorm was bearing down on us. Thunder out our window was also a clue. Checking the radar, Craig indicated that these showers were going to be hit and miss all day. As soon as this shower passed, we headed out. We needed to backtrack 30 miles to Moran Junction to make our way toward Yellowstone. Temperatures were cool especially with all the dampness, but we pressed on. Rain seemed to be all around us. We were skating our way along between the storms. The constant exposure to temperatures in the 40s forced us to seek refuge in one of the many cafeterias within Yellowstone for a hot cup of coffee. After picking up a couple of souvenirs for the grandchildren, we stepped out into another shower. Oh well. It did not seem that bad, so we suited up and headed out. Driving toward Craigs Pass, the sun appeared for the first time bringing along with it beautiful blue skies. Since we had to change our route of travel from the east side of the park to the west, we decided to stop in at Old Faithful. With my video camera in hand, we waited for the geyser to blow her top. As were we waiting and discussing our travel plans, the sky turned ugly. Black clouds filled the once blue sky and thunder could be heard in the distance. We were concentrating so intently on the sky that we almost missed what we stopped for. Old Faithful began to do her thing so I turned the camera around to capture the moment until a crack of lightening appeared in the distance. Craig and I decided to make our way back to the bike in an effort to stay ahead of the storm. Unfortunately, this did not happen. While traveling through the park, rain started pouring down on us. The wind picked up and temperatures seemed to plummet. With nowhere to go, we pressed on. Pea-sized hail began to pelt us relentlessly. When the hail started accumulating on the road, we decided to pull over and sit things out. Craig pulled over into the first turn out that we came across. A man in a motor home already in the turn out offered to let us come in and get out of the storm. We thanked him, but declined the offer as we were in our rain gear already. Once the hail stopped, we wiped down the seats and proceeded down the mountain. We traveled the entire day in and out of showers until we decided to stop for the day in Whitehall, Montana. We only traveled 283 miles, but much of that was done at slower speeds through Yellowstone and on two lane roads. Oh no, we have no internet service. E-mails will have to wait until Thursday.
This morning we awoke to clear skies and an air temperature of 38°. We donned our chaps and an extra long-sleeve shirt to help make the temperature more bearable. At least there was no rain in sight. As we traveled through Lookout Pass, temperatures remained in the 40s. Though the scenery was beautiful, the cold was miserable. Eventually we crossed into Idaho. The clouds began to diminish giving way to clear skies and warmer temperatures. By the time we reached Moses Lake, Washington, the temperature was 77°. We pulled over to gas up and removed a couple of layers of clothing. The further west we traveled, the more intense the winds seemed to become. Traveling through the Colombia River Gorge winds were gusting to 40 mph. Coming around a corner, we came upon a semi that had apparently gotten into trouble with the wind. The driver completely turned the truck around, but managed to keep all wheels on the road. By the time we exited the river gorge, we decided to call it a night in Ellensburg, Washington. This will put us within striking distance for Mount St Helens and Mount Rainier on Friday. Total miles traveled today were 534.
This morning found us back on the road by 7am. The skies were blue and temperatures were in the mid to
high sixties. Our plans for the day included a visit to Mount Rainier and Mount St Helens, but as we neared
Mount Rainier, it became evident that we were in for some rain and cooler temperatures. The rain began
falling even before we entered the park, but we would not be deterred. We pressed onward through the park
taking in all the breathtaking sights. The redwoods were incredible, and deer could be seen feeding right
along the roadside with their antlers just coming in. As we climbed the mountains to gain a better vantage
point of Mount Rainier, the fog rolled in, reducing visibility to less than 100 yards at Paradise. We became
immediately aware that this was not going to be a photo opportunity. Still the sights kept us in awe.
Rounding a curve, we came upon a lake that was still nearing frozen solid. Snow was everywhere. It was as
though we were driving through a winter wonderland. After snapping a couple of quick photos, we made our way
the mountain. Hopefully things will improve before we get to Mount St Helens. Fighting rain, fog and a little
nausea, we finally made it out of the park to a small roadside one-stop shop in Ashford. Following a couple of coffees and muffins, we pressed on for Mount St Helens. After a quick stop to check the map, we turned unto 505 heading directly toward the National Volcanic Monument. Driving up the mountain it was again evident that we probably would not be able to see much, however just knowing that we were standing within the blast area was reason enough to press on. It is amazing how much has re-grown since the eruption in 1980. The new growth is so abundant that it appears almost blurred to the naked eye. Once at the summit, we stopped into the Visitors Center to view the volcano. Unfortunately, the crater itself was not visible; however, Johnston Ridge was very clear. A ranger indicated that all of the logging equipment that was on the mountain when it erupted was still on the ridge though with all of the new growth it was a little harder to see. We walked around in the visitor center and picked up more souvenirs, before heading back down the mountain to Kelso, Washington. Our total mileage today was 324 miles.
Today was relatively uneventful. We strolled down the Oregon coast so that Craig could see the Pacific Ocean. Our first stop was Cannon Beach. This proved to be a huge mistake. Lined with houses and people strolling everywhere, there was no way to access the beach so we headed further south out of town. Finally, we were able to pull over so that Craig could get his first clear view of the ocean as well as a smell of the ocean air. Further, down the coastline, we ran into a couple from Portland out whale watching. They wished us well and we were back on our way. After traveling 80 miles along the coastline, we stopped at a roadside park to look at the map for a way back to the interstate. Lucky for us, there was a local young man on a Honda Interceptor who said follow me, and Craig did. What a thrill! He took us across 22, which was a winding maze through some of the most beautiful country. Craig did an outstanding job of keeping up, occasionally dragging the center stand peg along the road, and I did my very best not to toss my cookies. Eventually we split off to go to Salem and then onto Roseburg for the night. Miles traveled totaled 347.
We headed out early this morning in an effort to beat the traffic going to Crater Lake. Another successful mission accomplished. If we passed five cars, I would be surprised. The trip up was beautiful. We traveled winding roads through rock cliffs, towering evergreens, and occasional snow. Before we knew it, the occasional snow turned into 10-12ft. snow banks on both sides of the road. After a couple more curves, we approached the most beautiful location on earth. Crater Lake is a remarkable sight. The water was bluer than blue surrounded by banks of white. Although the temperature was only about 40, mosquitoes were abundant. We snapped a few pictures and spoke with a man from Georgia about motorcycles before continuing on to the lodge for more souvenirs. Having taken in all the magnificence of the park, we headed out for our next stopping point, Susanville, California. Again our miles traveled totaled 347.
We pulled out of Susanville, California at 6:30am in an effort to beat the heat as we will be crossing Nevada today. Rather than travel via the expressway, we have decided to take US 50, the loneliest highway in America. The morning itself was extremely uneventful, except that US 50 turned out to be sheer heaven. Traffic was minimal, the sights were magnificent, and the speed limit was 70mph. As we neared the small town of Austin, we began to notice several insects attempting to make their way across the highway. We would later learn that they were crickets, but not like any crickets that we knew. These were extremely large and crustaceous. They were so abundant in numbers that the highway was brick red where cars had driven over the crickets. Road crews actually had to sweep the highway, as the crickets were becoming a hazard to traffic. Crews were spreading sand on the mountain passes to soak up the bug juices. Following this excitement, we proceeded onto Ely, Nevada for the evening. Our mileage total for the day was 427 miles. Tomorrow we are going to make our way into Utah to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.
We got an especially early start on the day today due to reports that temperatures well into the 100s were expected in Utah. Traveling along US 50, we made our way out of Nevada and across the state line. After a couple hours, we approached Bryce Canyon, but equally as amazing was the drive through Red Canyon on the road to Bryce Canyon. The rocks were a vibrant red, and the shapes were unbelievable. We stopped to take a few photos, but I do not believe that they will come close to doing the canyon justice. We continued through the park looking at all the sights before proceeding on to Zion Park. I could not have imagined that anything could have topped the sights that we had just seen. Boy was I wrong. We traveled along the winding roads through the river canyon. Scarred rocks towered over us on both sides. Colors alternated between red and gray. We encountered tunnels cut through the enormous rocks, one only wide enough for a single vehicle. As we made our way through the canyon, temperatures reached into the 90s. By the time we pulled into our hotel, the temperature had reached 100°. Thank goodness, we were done for the day. We had put another 400 miles behind us. Tomorrow we plan to travel to the Grand Canyon.
We got up a little earlier than normal to get to the Grand Canyon before temperatures were too unbearable. Heading out of Hurricane, the temperature was 72°, however driving along temperatures dropped 20° as soon as the sun peeked out above the mountains. We had to pull over to put on more clothes. As we approached the junction of 67 leading to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, we began to notice smoke over the treetops. Eventually we began to see signs indicating that these fires were a management control burn. Thinking nothing of it, we continued on to the Grand Canyon. The 45-mile drive to the park was incredible. One would not have believed they were in Arizona. Trees and green pastures were everywhere. Once we arrived at our destination, we walked out along the rim of the canyon to get a better view. Wow. What a sight to behold? There is no describing what we saw. Even the pictures that we took cannot possible convey the magnificence of the park. Craig insisted that we walk all the way out to the end of the point as this was a once in a lifetime experience so I reluctantly agreed. Stopping to take some video, I accidentally pressed the release button on the camcorder battery. Thank goodness, it did not fall all the way down the mountain so I was able to recover it. After wandering around photographing the local wildlife, salamanders, and squirrels, we stopped by the gift shop, and then proceeded to drive the 45 miles back out of the park. Just as we arrived at Page, Arizona, there was a sign indicating that 89 to the Grand Canyon was closed to through traffic due to a forest fire. We knew that something was amiss as we could see and smell smoke for miles. Finally, with temperatures nearing 100, we pulled into Kayenta, Arizona. Unfortunately, Kayenta is in the middle of the Navajo Reservation, so no internet and no cellular signal. I hope that tomorrow night we will do better in Grand Junction, Colorado. Our mileage total for the day was 369.
We headed out this morning about 6:15am. This was a little bit later than when we had wanted to leave,
but we needed to learn the exact location of a forest fire in Colorado responsible for closing part of US
160. Our first stop this morning was the Four Corners Monument. What a disappointment? In the middle of
nowhere is a beautiful monument where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado meet, surrounded by table
after table of worthless knick knacks. The park itself is supposed to open weekdays at 7am. We arrived at
7:30am and no one was at the gate to collect fees. At least we were able to get in and take a couple of
photos before continuing on to Grand Junction, Colorado. What I failed to realize was that we had to travel
over four mountain passes first, the highest one reaching 11,008 ft. After traveling over the first two
passes, we came into Silverton, a small little town nestled in the San Juan Mountains. We stopped in at the
visitors center, picked up some literature on the Durango-Silverton train and then proceeded downtown to
walk around and shop. Back on the bike, we still had two more passes to go before exiting the mountains.
Round and around the mountain we went, through a quaint little town Ouray. If you were ever looking for a
place to visit in Colorado, Ouray would be high on the list. Once out of the mountains, temperatures began
to climb, eventually reaching 94°. Finally after 371 miles, we arrived at the hotel in Grand Junction.
After doing some routine maintenance on the trailer, we ate dinner, showered up and headed off to bed.
We hit the road about 6:30am this morning headed for the Rocky Mountain National Park. Traveling along Interstate 70, we traveled through multiple tunnels as well as going over Vail Pass at 10,666 ft. Once we turned on to US 40 we traveled over Berthoud Pass at 11,315 ft. The curves and switchbacks were amazing. Finally, we arrived at Rocky Mountain National Park. We stopped at one of the trailheads to take some pictures and we ran into a man from Oklahoma who took a trip to Alaska on his Honda Goldwing. We exchanged pleasantries then walked down to the creek to enjoy the sights, before proceeding through the park. We climbed forever, traveling back and forth, as we scaled the mountain. Noticeably absent were any guardrails along the outside edge of the pass. One wrong move and over the edge one goes. Frequently we spotted elk feeding in the pastures. At approximately 12,000 ft, we spotted several big horn sheep feeding just over the bank so Craig pulled over so that I could get off the bike and take some video footage. Winds were intense and temperatures were in the 40s, but the views were breathtaking. By far this proved to be the most beautiful national park we have visited. After stopping at the gift shop and visitors center, we proceeded to Estes Park to try to catch up with Dave and Millie. Unfortunately we got turned around in town and could not find our way back. After wandering around some more, we headed out to Windsor, Colorado for the night. Our mileage today was 376.