Off to Jellystone Park

[Dragonrider]

My bride and I are off for trip #2 of the summer - four days in Yellowstone - NO camping - warm cabin, someone else cooking, hot showers… We're towing the Spyder in our covered trailer to the park, and will spend one day on the North loop, one on the South loop, and one on the Chief Joseph Biway :clap::clap:

Visiting friends in Boise, on the way over, and relatives in Northern Idaho, on the way home.

Long road trips are for me - solo, and these long trips with my bride are meant to be a vacation - sitting on the back of the bike, or even in a cage, has never been a draw for my bride, hence the compromise. We could never pull off a Yazz trip (tho I've done plenty of those) together. I'll add to the post, as the trip goes along, however, I don't know if my iPad/camera combo will allow me to post pics on the road (my laptop went the way of the dodo when the 1st iPad arrived)..

This is a warm-up for a trip to the Maritimes - (bucket List stuff) - and riding across North America, would be fun for me, but NOT for her...

 

[jvicker]

Awwww. I thought you were going to Jellystone up by me.

 

[Dragonrider]

Next year, on our way to Eastern Canada…..

 

[ARtraveler]

Congratulations on your decision to take a trip to Yellowstone. The area and the sights are just awesome. The North Loop has spectacular high mountain views. The last time I went through in a cage (late 1990's) I was impressed by the narrow roads, lack of shoulders, and the nosebleed views over the side. I am guessing those conditions still exist.

Since it is getting near to Labor Day--you will not have as many people or crowds to deal with--that it a plus for a trip through the park.

The geyser basin, and hot ponds are just awesome to view. Yellowstone Canyon is also worth seeing--it is not the Grand Canyon--but it is pretty impressive.

Looking forward to pictures and commentary. It will be like taking the trip again.

 

[Spyder Cat]

We'll be following your adventure.
Our vacation is coming up in a couple weeks and we're planning to head north . . . . fun stuff!

Have fun and enjoy your vacation!:thumbup:

 

[Dragonrider]

Our cabin is actually at the Canyon Lodge - half the price of Yellowstone Lake, and being after Laborday, most folks are thinking about school (long past that one).

I've been through the park on a bike several times, but my wife's never been there - should be a treat… even tho temps are already in the 20's at night..

 

[Dragonrider]

We set out for Yellowstone with our CanAm RT loaded in its comfy covered trailer, that I designed for it. Our first stop was 480 miles away, in the Boise area, and we departed for Jackson Hole, WY the next day.
We finally arrived in Yellowstone on Day 3, to stay in the semi-primitive cabins at the Canyon Lodge area - minimal indoor bathroom, with NO coffee, telephone, or other electronic access. What a treat!

We unloaded the RT, and parked the trailer and truck, spending the next three days exploring the wonders of Yellowstone, and every side road we could find – stuff you would normally cruise by.
The Northern loop, on our first day out, was uneventful – lots to see, and plenty of wildlife. We visited the “Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, a number of waterfalls, the “Paint pots”, and a number of mini-geysers.

The Southern loop – day two – was the crowded loop, stopping at Old Faithful (no so anymore), and the more recognized stops. This loop is half again as long as the Northern Loop, with several side roads, beckoning the Spyder to new vistas, and crossing the Continental Divide twice.

Everywhere we went, the Spyder drew folks asking about it – during the Southern loop, it even drew the attention of a herd of 50 (+/-) buffalo, who decided to cross the main road, right where we were. Those are HUGE animals, and were close enough to touch (which we didn’t!!). Fortunately, there was a delivery van ahead of us, and we crept up to his bumper – they thought we were one “thing” and flowed around us!!

On the third day, we headed out to Cody, then up the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. What a road!! Perfect weather, scenery changed every few miles, and the road offered every technical challenge you could want – bar none (with the possible exception of buffalo crossing the road)… That trip was 268 miles, and included a stop in the old gold rush town of Cooke City – well worth a stop and closer look. Most of the buildings and businesses are multi-generational, with a ton of interesting local history.

We departed Yellowstone via Missoula, MT, and Orofino, ID. We decided to spend an extra day in Orofino, to visit relatives in Pierce, ID - a boomtown established in 1868, but a population of only 680 today. The highway there – ID 11 – was twisty, paved and gained over 2,000 feet in elevation from the Salmon river – opening into wheat fields, on the top of the world. Who could have guessed!

After that, it was homeward bound – 433 miles of highway 12 to the superslab of Hwy 84.

All in all, a trip I would highly recommend. The RT ran flawlessly, with the Tach being the only casualty on the last day of riding – RPM on the display is fine, but the analog instrument is dead – must have just realized how close those buffalo really were… We saw three other Spyders, all RS – one looked like a Shanghai rag dealer, with bags stacked and piled EVERYWHERE, one traveling with a group of Hardley riders, and the third at the cabins close by – this last RS was ridden by a couple who trailered the Spyder to Denver, then rode to Yellowstone, and after a week on it, couldn’t wait to get home to sell his RS to buy a RT.

I am pleased to say, that I did not see a single windmill in Idaho Montana, or Wyoming – didn’t see any of the ridiculous things until we got back to the left coast. Indeed, we actually saw a NEW power generating recreation-oriented reservoir being newly filled!

 

[BitSlayer]

I'm jealous. That is a trip we are planning for possibly next year. ray:
Good write up and glad you had a great time. Can't wait to get there myself. We have been through that area before but in a car.

 

[Dragonrider]

Well, decided to take the RT to the dealer to get the tach fixed - had to stop for fuel, and the tach worked just fine after that??? Thought that's what the Gremlin Bell was supposed to prevent!!!

 

[NancysToy]

Well, decided to take the RT to the dealer to get the tach fixed - had to stop for fuel, and the tach worked just fine after that??? Thought that's what the Gremlin Bell was supposed to prevent!!!

I had problems with the analog tach on my RTS. It was erratic, and often read 1,000-1,400 rpm low. After a long ride, especially in hot weather, it would quit altogether or freeze at 1K. After it cooled it was usually better. If yours gets bad enough to make you crazy, the gauge cluster will have to be replaced. I would suggest taking a picture next time it screws up, in case it happens to behave when you're at the dealer. BTW, if you have the cluster replaced, take a picture when you arrive at the dealer, to record your mileage. The new odometer will revert to zero.

 

[OldDog]

Some Yellowstone Pictures

Grand Prism Geyser
Mammoth Springs
Old Faithful
Geyser