Alaska Day 36

This morning we said our goodbyes to Sindy and Luck and headed out. We made a stop at the site of General Custer's last stand at the Little Big Horn National Monument. We enjoyed a park ranger's presentation on the events that led up to that fateful day then walked up the hill to see the monument and grave markers up close. It was very interesting and you can really image what it must have been like back in 1876. After Little Big Horn we headed to Broadus, MT to visit John's grandson, McQ and his uncle Quinn they were participating in a team roping competition. It was good to meet them and enjoy some rodeo action too. We then headed to Miles City, MT for the night. 257 miles today.

Alaska Day 35

This was a relaxed day of completing a fix for the fuel inlet on my auxiliary tank.  I had noticed a small drip and the smell of gas a couple of days before and while we had down time in Billings we diagnosed the problem and repaired it.  It was also a time for John and the rest of us to meet some more of his family.  They welcomed us with open arms and said for us to just make it like our own home, so we did.  We also took this opportunity to give the bike the 2nd bath of the trip and they really needed it.  John grilled steaks for the group this night as well as making potato salad.  All who had dinner could barely move after eating.  John had the steaks special cut for dinner.  We really enjoyed our down time in Billings. 

Alaska Day 34

This morning we planned to have breakfast in town before heading out on the road. We walked down to a cafe and had breakfast when we walked back to the motel we found that road crews had completely tour up the road and we had a short wait as they made the road passable for us to leave. We headed for the famed Beartooth pass which is a great high mountain pass that connects Cooke City to the town of Red Lodge. It was a great ride up and up the pass to its 11,000ft summit where it was cool but not too cold. There was lots of other bikes enjoying the pass. You can see in the pictures the winding road that takes you over the pass. As we descended the temperatures quickly rose and when we stopped in Red Lodge for lunch we quickly changed riding gear. After lunch we continued to Billings to visit John daughter Sindy and granddaughter Lee Ann and much to John's surprise her boyfriend, Luck. 125 miles today.

Alaska Day 33 part 1

We left Helena and took some nice secondary roads down to Yellowstone National Park. When we reached Yellowstone we first went to the visitor center so John could get his National Park Passport book stamped. I had always heard that this was a busy Park and I could now see for myself that it was indeed. John and Don had previously toured the park and didn't wish to do it this time. So they took the direct route through the park to our destination of Cooke City, MT and Dave and I took the long way around the park. We had good luck with the traffic and enjoyed riding the loop through the park stopping to see the sights, including Old Faithfull of course. We reached the southern end of the park and decided to make a run down to the Grand Tetons National Park, which was only about 30 miles. Well those 30 miles took longer than expected due to road construction and more gravel road. Once there we got our pins and patches, took a few pictures then mounted up for the 130 mile ride to Cooke City. After the first 40 miles the sun had set and we very carefully traveled through the park in the dark watching for wildlife in the road. We can attest to the fact that buffalo are nearly invisible to headlights your lucky to catch a little light reflecting from there little eyes. As we neared the end of our ride the temperatures were getting low reaching 39 degrees. We were cold and very happy to get to the motel and crank up the heat. 430 miles of great riding today

Alaska Day 33 Part 2

Up and out of Helena to a little town called Townsend some 40 miles away where we ate breakfast. Then off to Yellowstone we went. Bruce and Dave took the loop in Yellowstone and visited the Grand Tetons on a side trip. John and I headed for Cooke City. On our short journey to Cooke City I learned a lot about trails. While traveling leisurely through Yellowstone John decides to pull into this dirt and gravel road that had a sign read "Hellroaring". I followed and we parked in a gravel potholed parking area about .1 mile farther. John explained this was a trailhead where he used to pack out and take the horses down this trail and across the bridge. The sign at the beginning of the trail said the suspension bridge, swinging bridge, was a mile away. It looked straight down hill to me. Guess what, it looks straight up hill from the bridge. John wanted some pictures and I was curious so off I went. Now I first called this a path and John corrected me with "its a trail". The difference is a path is a path and a trail is a path with horse poo all over it. This was a trail. Made it to the bridge with a little sore knee caps. Took some really nice pictures nice pictures of the bridge and river and talked a little with the people there. Here comes the part I didn't see, the trek back up the mountain. Ihad left my rain pants and leather jacket on. After 4 or 5 much needed stops I arrived back at the top. John had just woke from his NAP and said " It only took you 2 hours. Thats 1 mile an hour pace. For somebody napping he has a lot of nerve. Being winded with sore legs now, I still think it was a great adventure to take that trail and visualize taking horses and traveling down that trail and across that bridge. It was back on the bikes then off again to Cooke City. We arrived about 4:30 got 2 rooms because we knew Dave and Bruce would be in late. I left my bike at the entrance of the motel so they would know where we were. John and I checked out the local character of the town. About 11:30 we had seen enough of the town and headed for the rooms. We looked down the road and there were "no vacancy" signs everywhere and Dave and Bruce were pulling in to our motel. Dave and Bruce had about a 16 hour day while John and I had an 8 hour day. But glad we did because we had a room waiting for them.    

Alaska Day 32

You know, people are weird. The night of the 31st when we arrived in Cranbrook, got our rooms and headed for dinner a man wanted me to come back to the motel and move my bike so he could park there and see his bike from his room. Didn't happen. Anyway the 32nd was relatively uneventful. We woke ate a continental breakfast at the motel and were on our way by 8 am, 10 your time. We stopped and ate lunch in Seeley Lake where the waitress happened to be a former bartender. She might have been the bouncer too so we didn't give her too much, but just a little, lip. John while asking about this place met a lady that knew about the Newbauers although she didn't arrive at Seeley Lake until 5 years after John had left. I think John has reputation if she is correct. Most the day was very nice until we approached Helena on route 12. We put on our rain gear just before the the mountain about 12 miles out from Helena. Good thing, it became windy and rainy. We checked into our motel and and hour or so later the rain stopped. The day was a little short of average but was what was needed at 341 miles. Nice comfortable day. 

Alaska Day 31

It was another great day for riding as we departed Grande Cache and headed out toward Jasper park.  We did about 100 miles and the guys stopped for breakfast in Hinton.  The last couple of days gas has been in short supply around Alberta and one clerk said that a storm had knocked out 2 refineries in Edmonton and that was why.  We have not had a problem so far acquiring fuel.  The guys had breakfast at Smitty's and none of them cleaned their plate - no lolli-pop for them today.  We left Hinton behind and continued toward Jasper.  We entered the park and stopped in the actual town of Jasper so that John could get his park passport stamped.  We then continued on through the park and through the area know as the ice fields for the glaciers there.  It was a beautiful ride seeing the glaciers and moving through the curves and passes.  We stopped in a roadside park for lunch and then headed on out to our final detination for the day of Cranbrook BC.  We arrived just in time to have dinner and cover the bikes before a big thunderstorm came through the area.  Tomorrow back to the USA and on to Helena Montana.  Todays ride covered 456 miles.

Alaska Day 30

Well, day 30 finds us up and ready for breakfast at 6:30 am in Fort Nelson. The first news of the day came from Dave as he whispered so John could not hear "I am no longer the BIG BOY on this trip". That means John is the NEW BIG BOY. Bruce and I announced to John, at breakfast, that we new he was the NEW BIG GUY. John gave us his "I understand wave" and went on eating. Now, Dave at 228 and me at 220 and Dave loosing at 4 a week means its going to be close by the time we get home. We left Fort Nelson about 7:45, the weather and roads were great. We passed through Fort St. John then all the way down to Dawson Creek where we stopped to take pictures of the mile "0" post. You know, I've been to Fort Nelson, Fort "oh my God" Liard, Fort St. John and haven't seen a fort yet. We also stopped by the visitor center bought some goodies and read a little about the man Dawson Creek and Dawson City were named after. Then off to Grand Prarrie for dinner. After dinner a little light left so Grand Cache was our next and final stop. After a 487 mile leg today Grand Cache was a welcome sight.