Journey toward Spyderfest 2012

[murphybrown]

Started my journey on Sat..when I travel I give out (mentally!!!) HERE'S YOUR SIGN (for those moments when I or others make a not so wise decision). Been ryding 2 days and only been able to hand one to myself....Drift camera 2..me 0...I had it down...had learned how to use Drift on my half helmet...guess what that elastic strap would not stay on my full helmet..left house..3 blocks later it snaps me in the face...response was Screw this and tucked camera in my suit...get to CDA, Idaho and my son-in-law got it velcro ready...ahhh a better video day coming up!!!! NOT got to Missoula for my latte stop..excited to see what camera had seen...nothing...dead battery..forgot to charge battery (at this point handed myself the SIGN). The ryde was great...rained mostly from Missoula to Livingston but no issues..I stay dry and Ms Spyder handles well. Got to motel..was putting on cover..it started pouring a mix of rain/snow..it was 26' so figured it was in for a good one...looked out this morning...the parking lot bare and dry...yea...see blue sky peeking through...MyRadar weather app..says its a good weather day so I will ryde Yellowstone park...down to Jackson for Teton area today...
Gas prices? Home/Chelan, WA $4.499 in MT $3.879
Mileage: got 38 mpg on one tank...average for 2 days...34.3 and that was hiway speed...windshield up most time yesterday...
Everyone have a great day...see you at Spyderfest

[chickridin]

..forgot to charge battery

Sounds like something I'd do!

Ride safe!

[flamingobabe]

have fun...be safe...one of the coldest rides ever...was from Yellowstone Old Faithful hotel to Jackson Hole in June burrrrr cold.....hope you have warmer weather.....knock off a few more states.....looking forward to meeting you at Spyderfest

[SpyderAnn01]

My husband bought me a GoPro for a gift almost 2 years ago. I think I have taken 2 videos with it and that was pure luck! I vow that if you get yours to work for you I'll charge mine up and give it another try.

Hope you have a good trip through Yellowstone. Watch out for the bison.

[Yol Bolsun]

Chalk it all down to "SMALL STUFF". Ryde safe and enjoy the adventure. Looking forward to meeting you and everyone else in Cuba.

"Don't sweat the small stuff and remember,
in the grand scheme of things, it's ALL small stuff."

[Lamonster]

Thanks for the great ride report. I think we all have done the same thing with the cameras. Hope you stay warm and dry the rest of the trip.

[pitbull]

Ryde safe murphy, thanks for checking in! Looking forward to seeing more posts on your adventures.

[CyncySpyder]

Glad you are on your way & hope things only improve for you as you continue Sadly, even tho I'd love to make it, Teddy & I will have to miss this years Fest But will be following along with your posts & checking out the pics & vids We'll be with y'all in spirit

[Littlebadwolf]

Cncy...I'm sorry to see that you & Ted won't be able to make it...same way i felt last year when I had to do the bypass surgery...i was highly disappointed and this year I had to defer to my wife's work schedule at the hospital so we miss another year but we're gonna do the Adirondacks. We were fortunate to meet Len when we went out in November to pick up Linda's Spyder that my wife bought and we were looking forward to the rally this year...Next year......next year....

[tajohn]

Have a safe trip we look forward to seeing you again. You have the metal to endure and we enjoy every word.

[murphybrown]

good morning...yep there is a video attached...quick find your delete button....cause I do not know how to edit and trust me you don't want to watch much of this....but hey soooo many of you said you reallllly wanted to "see" my travels....well I had a choice between this (going into Yellowstone from Gardiner entrance) one or 10 minutes of some guys backside at coffee shop (and it wasn't even a Wrangler butt--I am partial to those!!!) or 1 hr 20 minutes of ryding in the rain!!!! Ok just to stop any groans...I am planning on going to the Apple store in Omaha, NE in a few days and they promise that they can even teach me (as a laughing said oh yea I've heard that before!!!). how to edit...
Yesterday was a wonderful day of ryding..mostly blue skies...but had to go to plan B..discovered that even tho the roads are clear in the park they don't open the roads until Memorial weekend...so no Old Faithful, Jackson Hole/Tetons or Cody (awesome history there). Was recommended I check out museums in Cody..but discovered after Google search that they don't open until May....so this area stays on my bucket list...just means another Spyder Ryde is on the list...oh darn!!!!!!
So rode from Livingston 5 miles into Yellowstone until roadblocked and had to turn around. Saw 1 bison bull...several elk cows but all that I label town critters as they were basically in Gardiner..then had a gorgeous golden pheasant rooster scurry across road in front of me...sun hitting his feathers....another of those Good Job God sites...
Finally found motel in Lovell that fits my criteria: Clean, non smoking and not over $50 a nite (including tax!!!)...these folks are actually from Kalama, WA (many moon ago) and knew one of my former friends, John Clayton....they had lived just a short way from where John lived at the fish hatchery....we truly live in a small world...so spent an hour or so visiting with them and petting their gorgeous rescue cat that owns the office...
BUT I have got to change my ways...get in room after covering Ms Spyder for the nite...sit down to just relax and boom next thing I know it is 2:30 am (MT time so1:30 back home) and I am bright eyed and bushy tailed...raring to go...so because of that you are the lucky recipients of all that early burst of energy (max 10 minutes!!!!).
Today I will be working my way toward Nebraska....found some non blue roads that look promising....Folks have a great day..even tho it is tax day....
Grrrr forget the video could never get it to here....

[SpyderAnn01]

Too bad that you hit the roadblocks in Yellowstone you will definitely have to get back there one day. Have a nice ride today and I hope you find interesting roads in NE - the interstate there is rather dull.

[murphybrown]

Started off by watching the shuttle Discovery get her "free" ride to the Smithsonian awesome just awesome. Stirred a lot of feelings within me. Many decades watching the USA be the leader in space exploration .. and now???
hi light on my ryde yesterday was through the Wind River Reservation absolutely gorgeous... When I got to the Nebraska border decided time to look for a place to put my head for the night..first see sign that says Harrison Next 4 Exits...curious as didn't look that big so decided to check out. Lol. The town is four blocks wide and four blocks long therefore four exits. Saw a local hardware store and in small rural country always very interesting those local hardware stores. This one did not disappoint. Asked if there were any local motels was told no but we have a great hotel. and great Experience it is. Built in the 1800's Meredith and husband are in their 70s and her great great grandparents built this hotel. She is also a local historian. Incredible hosts and hostesses I was told they weren't open but they had a clean bed if I wanted a place to sleep. The hotel is old funky clean and an awesome place. There are nine rooms and three shared baths. Fixes a full breakfast in the morning asking you what you want and much to my delight
Discovered when I crawled into bed she even irons the sheets!!! Than as got ready to cover Ms Spyder he said no we have a garage outback you can pull in there.. totally goes with the old hotel tiny one car. no door dirt floor just awesome. When I laid out the plastic to pay huge sum of $30 for the night Meredith said oh our credit card machine is not done yet you can send us a check when you get home... asked her if they would accept cash...so hi marks and my recommendation if you're near Harrison Nebraska's stay at the Harrison Hotel. After I visit the Harrison Museum it's not open till memorial day but Meredith has the key then I head for broken Bow Nebraska.
Everyone have a great day

[SteveMac]

Very cool stuff Karyl. Very cool!

[sealfloorboards]

Ah Karyl,

You do know how to have a good time. Aloha John and I miss you but you do have your own journey. We headed So. to Williams, Ca from Newberg, Or., 500 miles. That's plenty for two old f..ts. Day two to Stockton in warm sun. Yesterday it was Barstow (even warmer). Got in fairly early so just kicked back. Today it's Flagstaff for a one day layover while we wait to meet up with Jim. Will Instal a set of Seals for him and then our band of bandits will head E. on Hwy 40. You would certainly be the sugar in this salty ol' gang. Ride safely my dear. See ya soon.

Ride in comfort,

John
Seal FloorBoards

[Lamonster]

Started off by watching the shuttle Discovery get her "free" ride to the Smithsonian awesome just awesome. Stirred a lot of feelings within me. Many decades watching the USA be the leader in space exploration .. and now???
hi light on my ryde yesterday was through the Wind River Reservation absolutely gorgeous... When I got to the Nebraska border decided time to look for a place to put my head for the night..first see sign that says Harrison Next 4 Exits...curious as didn't look that big so decided to check out. Lol. The town is four blocks wide and four blocks long therefore four exits. Saw a local hardware store and in small rural country always very interesting those local hardware stores. This one did not disappoint. Asked if there were any local motels was told no but we have a great hotel. and great Experience it is. Built in the 1800's Meredith and husband are in their 70s and her great great grandparents built this hotel. She is also a local historian. Incredible hosts and hostesses I was told they weren't open but they had a clean bed if I wanted a place to sleep. The hotel is old funky clean and an awesome place. There are nine rooms and three shared baths. Fixes a full breakfast in the morning asking you what you want and much to my delight
Discovered when I crawled into bed she even irons the sheets!!! Than as got ready to cover Ms Spyder he said no we have a garage outback you can pull in there.. totally goes with the old hotel tiny one car. no door dirt floor just awesome. When I laid out the plastic to pay huge sum of $30 for the night Meredith said oh our credit card machine is not done yet you can send us a check when you get home... asked her if they would accept cash...so hi marks and my recommendation if you're near Harrison Nebraska's stay at the Harrison Hotel. After I visit the Harrison Museum it's not open till memorial day but Meredith has the key then I head for broken Bow Nebraska.
Everyone have a great day

What a great find and a great story to go with. You're a very special lady.

[Trickie Dick]

What a great find and a great story to go with. You're a very special lady.

[Motorcycle Mama & Papa]

Your my kinda girl murphybrown. I wish to be like you, and I hope our paths cross one day. My sign for you today is "you're awesome!" motorcyclemama

[Lamonster]

[mtbear]

Hey Murphy,
My wife and I lived in Spokane for 24 yrs before retiring and moving to Colorado.
we have been to Yellowstone about a dozen times and never tored of it, so you really need to get back there.
keep up the ride reports, I am really enjoying them and have been through most of the areas you are going through.
mtbear

[pitbull]

Carol you have earned your place in the Spyderlovers haul of fame, as well as in so many of our hearts. Ryde safe, have fun, and please please keep posting!

[murphybrown]

On the way to Broken Bow to stay at a wonderful motel I found last year. The motel is nice but people/owners are great...miles and miles of gorgeous flat land (ladies FYI..bushes large enough to pop a squat are mighty scarce...therefore drink less or buy depends!!!!)where the deer and the antelope play... well forget looking for them they are not playing they must of been at work...noticed long long trains. So say to self "how many engineers can you get to blow their horn for you? Whoop Whoop 4 out of 5...
Holy cow it warmed up...started shedding layers off of me and adding many layers of bug guts on Ms Spyder.
Thurs is a short cross country jaunt to Crete NE where I have a date to take my grandson to dinner. Then Fri on to take another grandson who works in Omaha to dinner and a date with Apple store tech to turn me into a genius class videographer...lollol.. If I was betting oh well miracles do still happen...see a long day ryding fr Omaha to Cuba. No blue roads for me and my excitement level will keep me Brite eyed and bushy tailed...will fly my flags on the last leg everyone have a great couple days see you at Spyderfest...

[dancogan]

It's great to hear such nice reports about the people in Nebraska. It really is a neat place and I was lucky to find and marry a Nebraska girl almost 40 years ago. She's from a small town not far from Crete, where you took your grandson to dinner, called Friend (appropriately enough).

Good luck in Omaha and hope the Apple store gets you sorted out with your editing needs. If not, I'm sure you'll find folks at Spyderfest that can help.

[FaranH]

Thanks so much for sharing your trip! Each part of your story has put a smile on my face. I can't wait to meet you in person, murphybrown!

[GloryRyders]

Great reports Murphy See you next week at the PARTY!