Ride to Yellowstone National Park, WY

[elvis]

Luggage: 4 saddle bags and 2 additional bags secured on to either the luggage rack or the passenger seat. In my mind, we carried absolutely everything we needed, my wife would disagree though.

[elvis]

On the way to Beartooth HWY, WY

[elvis]

Yellowstone N.P., WY

[elvis]

Just outside of Glacier N.P. Montana

[elvis]

Wizard Island, Crater Lake, Oregon

[elvis]

Oregon Coast, HWY 101

[elvis]

Originally Posted by elvis

Luggage: 4 saddle bags and 2 additional bags secured on to either the luggage rack or the passenger seat. In my mind, we carried absolutely everything we needed, my wife would disagree though.

[elvis]

Originally Posted by elvis

After riding for 2 weeks, 3 National Parks, 5 states and 6000 kms; we’re back home. Will write up a summary later but wanted to thank everyone for hints and tips you gave us before we set on our “ride of a lifetime� journey.

Cheers,

Elvis

As promised:

The Ride of a Life Time

4 National Parks, 5 States, 6000 kms
July 26 - August 8, 2009

Motorcycles
Suzi: 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C50, Black & Chrome
Nomad: 2008 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600, Candy Fire Red & Metallic Diablo Black

Highlights
North Cascades National Park, Washington
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Beartooth Highway, Wyoming and Montana
Glacier National Park, Montana
Twisty roads in Idaho
Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Park, Oregon
The high desert area, Oregon
Chandler State Park, Oregon
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Day 01 - Washington - 442 km
Left home at 7:30AM
Crossed Peace Arch separately
Rode I5 to Everett then US2 East
Coffee break at a Monroe Starbucks
Stevens Pass**** 4062 ft (beautiful roads)
Hotdog at Bavarian village, Leavenworth***
Camp @ Lake Chelan State Park
Swam in the lake
Went to bed early

Day 02 - Idaho- 441 km
Breakfast @ the Vogue***, Chelan, WA
Great ride via Mansfield and Electric City to Spokane, WA
Ride through Spokane on I90
Arrived in Coeur D’Alene, ID
Fruit shopping @ Costco, lunch at Red Lobster
Checked out Verizon Wireless pay-as-you-go cell phones, too expensive
Ice cream break at Sandpoint, ID
Camp @ East Hope State Park
Thunderstorms and heavy rain at midnight for 1.5 hours
Some damage to fellow campers’ equipment

Day 03 - Montana- 484 km
Left campground @ 9:15AM
Lunch @ Minnie's Café in Thompson Falls, MT (very large green chili omelet and sunny side up with the usual toppings!)
Got on I90 via Paradise, MT (road construction, locals’ recommendation)
Gas and Frappuccino at a Barnes and Noble [bookstore] Starbucks*** in Missoula, MT
Caught in rain on I90
Exited I90 @ HWY 1 to Anaconda, MT
More rain on the way to Anaconda, MT
Beautiful scenic road by Georgetown Lake
Night @ Marcus Daly Motel ($72.76)
Dried wet gear and hot shower

Day 04 –Wyoming- 444 km
Suzi’s front break squeaking, cleaned the disk
I90 to Livingston, MT via Butte, MT
Coffee break at Montana Wheat Deli & Bakery**** right by I90
HWY 89 South and 540 through Paradise Valley
Entered Yellowstone National Park (YNP) thru Gardiner, MT ($80 Annual Pass for two riders)
Visited the Historic Village
Rode the
Mammoth Upper Terrace
Upper Loop
Tower Waterfalls
Canyon
Beautiful flower meadows at 7000 ft
Danraven Pass 8890 ft
Saw elk, bison and boiling spring water
Checked in to Clubhouse Inn at West Yellowstone***, MT
Dinner at Timberline (very good taco salad and chili burger but serves no booze)

Day 05 – Wyoming – 223 km
Visited the highlights of YNP
Fumaroles, geysers, boiling mud craters
Crossed Continental Divide twice
Old Faithful, weak eruption for less than 10 mins
Westthumb [crater in crater]
Ride around Yellowstone Lake
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Spectacular views on South Rim to Upper and Lower Falls
North Rim ride stunning overlooks
Saw many bison, elk, deer, Canadian geese, small squirrels and some fish
Left Canyon @ 8PM
Didn’t go to Teton NP due to 24 miles of road construction
Ribs & brisket dinner at BBQ house
Got to hotel at 10:15PM

Day 06 – Wyoming – 268 km
Mammoth to Roosevelt Lodge [soup & chili for lunch]
Left YNP at North Entrance for Cook City
Saw hundreds of Bison
Beartooth**** HWY: Steep zigzags and switchbacks, along the Montana-Wyoming border to the 10,947Â*ft (3,337Â*m) high Beartooth Pass
Dining at Steakhouse and camping in KOA in Red Lodge***, Montana

Day 07 – Montana – 571 km
Coffee and salty sticks, checked email
Walk thru small market
Scenic byway**** from Red Lodge to Columbus
Rode the Interstate gliding thru gusty winds to Livingston
Nomad ran out of gas 4 miles away from Townsend
Got some gas from a guy at the top of hill, gave him 20 bucks, all concerned were happy
Gassed up + ice-cream in Townsend
Coffee at Starbucks, Helena [Mongols hang around our bikes]

Day 08 – Montana – 400 km
Late breakfast
Entered Glacier NP at West Glacier
Ride thru Lake McDonald to Logan Pass 6,646�, flower meadows, deer and snow goats
Riding on the edge of cliffs with no barrier and gravel roads
Stunning views
St. Mary Lake, historic Lodge*** and railway station at East Glacier [ice cream ]
HWY 89***, HWY49 narrow and winding gravel road, HWY2***
Mediocre dinner at West Glacier
Camping [$16]

Day 09 – Montana – 485 km
Breakfast and email @ Whitefish***, Montana Coffee Trade Co.
Ride along Flathead Lake*** via Polson
Slow traffic thru Missoula [road construction on HWY93]
Frappuccino at Barnes and Noble Starbucks*** in Missoula
Headed south to Lolo on HWY 93
60 miles of twisties!, SW to Kooskia, ID on HWY 12
Crossed time zone
Slept at Darrel's front yard

Day 10 – Idaho – 425 km
Breakfast in Grangeville
Headed SW thru prairies, rolling hills, forest and Hell’s Canyon***
Break at Richland, had Sierra Mist***
Escaped from thunderstorms to Baker City****, OR
Excellent dinner @ Barley Brown’s [Steak****, Fettuccine Alfredo**** and a few pints of wheat beer]
Budget Inn, $50/night

Day 11 – Oregon – 609 km
Coffee, croissants and email @ Mad Matilda’s***
HWY 7 and HWY 26
Break @ Burns Safeway
116 miles in desert*** the high desert area, Burns to Lakeview
Beautiful “Lake Abert�
Burger dinner @ Burger Queen in Lakeview
Nomad turned 10K kms in Lakeview
Late evening, nite ride to Klamath Falls
Checked in to Majestic Inn, room 26 (okay room for $51)

Day 12 – Oregon – 341 km
Mixed weather, raining on and off
Organic coffee @ Fort Klamath
Rim Village at Crater Lake, visited the Lodge
Chili lunch at the Café
Very low visibility, did the short West Rim ride in clouds, rain and fog
Bad weather on west side of Cascade Mt. range
Arrived Eugene early evening, checked in to Timber Motel (very nice, $59)
Great pizza and wine (Chianti) @ Ambrosia, the Italian restaurant
Walk in downtown Eugene

Day 13 – Oregon – 353 km
Morning coffee at Starbucks in downtown Eugene, OR
Rode HWY 99 & 99W to Oregon coast HWY 101 (rough roads and away from the ocean)
Cheese break at Tillamook, OR
Crossed the bridges**** in Astoria to Washington
Dinner at Café 42nd Street****, Seaview, WA
Camp @ KOA ($26)

Day 14 – Washington – 511 km
Awful weather, shortcut coast & Aberdeen
Stop at a Southbend bakery
Coffee and gas in Raymond, WA
Rode I5 non-stop thru Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle to Everett
Quick shopping at Outlet malls and Costco
Fast entry into Canada, (friendly officer)
The usual beautiful ride on HWY 99 northbound
Back at sweet home @ 9:30PM
Time to start dreaming of another road trip!

[schoeney]

Elvis,

Great write up...Thanks. Wish I could have met you guys when you passed through. Maybe next time!

[elvis]

Originally Posted by schoeney

Elvis,

Great write up...Thanks. Wish I could have met you guys when you passed through. Maybe next time!

we'll cross paths, I'm sure. created a few maps of the trip:

First Leg:



Second Leg.



Third Leg:



Overview of the entire trip:

[armypac]

Good day Elvis,
I am new to the KawaNow clan and just reviewing some posts.
I was wondering if you ever did go to yellowstone and how was it.
My wife and i went to Sturgis this past summer for the first time and stayed in West Yellowstone for a few days and rode around the park for 2 days. It was great.
incredible scenes and bison and lots of fans of the National parks.
anyway,
hope it was awesome,
anthony