Monday, June 27
Wanted to be on the road early so I'd get to Jan's in Belgrade, MT at a reasonable time of day. It's going to be a long one. Ended up being 605 miles, which is a good cut toward Million Mile Monday that the Harley Owners Group does every year. Got the miles logged.

As usual I forget some of the critical information, such as blinding sun when you're riding east. But ya just gotta suffer for your craft, and mine is riding. Hobby, passion. Onward.

I'd gone to get my electric jacket liner and gloves and in looking for the hookup on the bike, could not find it. My battery was changed recently and I think it was not replaced. But I had a schedule to keep. I put on a few extra clothes and my heavy gloves and got on the road about 7 a.m. It was 43 degrees, but a hardy Alaskan girl can handle that. My feet were cold, my hands were cold, my core not too warm. I clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering so hard they'd split my lip open. I saw some beautiful country. And then I realized why it was so cold ... I was up in high elevation at the continental divide and there was snow. Oh good grief. It suddenly felt even colder. I stopped to take photos and eat a protein bar.

I prefer running 60-65 mph, and the bike which I've now named Tobiano which is taken from the paint horses with round-shaped markings. I had never thought of it before, and the name was a long time coming for her.
Anyway at 60-65 the bike gets about 50+ miles to the gallon, at 70-75 about 40, and over 75 the miles per gallon drops to about 30. So, I have a preferred speed. Besides I can see lots more then, and that's why I ride, to see things and have an enjoyable ride.

This ride has also been diffferent in that my bladder needs more stops than my gas tank. Usually I can run a tank of gas, but this time, not. Does that mean I'm over-hydrated? Maybe. I've tried to drink a lot, but it sure gets tiring stopping every 50-75 miles, not to mention losing time.

I've seen a lot of places where water doesn't belong, trees in the middle of rivers, and sand bags and dirt piled up around buidings to keep the water out. Many of the rivers, the Yellowstone and Missouri to name a couple, are way high, and there are a lot of bridges that are being repaired after being damaged.

Saw something I'd not seen before ... a rail car being hauled on a tractor trailer. Interesting to see as I passed it.

Stopped at a rest stop, you know why, and when leaving forgot to tie off a strap. I saw it in the shadow behind the bike and when I stopped realized what I'd done. Not a good thing to do, but ended well. I'd been in a rush to get out of the stop because I wasn't comfortable when a bunch of guys were acting strange ... yeah, imagine. I might be locked and loaded, but not enough bullets ... lol.

Rode through the Wind River Canyon toward Thermopolis, WY. It's one of my favorite rides, with the river running along the road, the curves that say 55 but you know you can take at 70 or so in a nice, easy run. There were even the three tunnels, one after another, that you go through, then look left and you see the rail tunnels along the hillside. It's a beautiful ride, and I've done it a few times, and don't tire of it.

Near Cody there was a sign that said motorcycles beware, look for an alternate route ... due to construction on Highway 120. Well, I ignored that sign. It was 10 miles ... a lot of gravel and hard-packed dirt. We Alaskans would think it was like a regular road. We should be so lucky to have that for construction. Made it through with looks from the drivers of the big equipment and the construction workers.

By 12:30 p.m. The temperature was in the low 80s, but I was still cold and wearing my jacket, but with lighter gloves. I never did take off the jacket.

Lots of deer and some antelope. Had one deer run across in front of me, and another right next to the road, looking like the proverbial deer in the headlights ... looking, not knowing which way to go, left, right, left. Luckily it went off the road further.

Got to my friend's and we went out for a great Italian supper. And then I was tuckered and in for the night ... to bed, to bed.

Tuesday, June 28


Was great to spend a short evening with my friend, and a few hours this morning. Birdie and I will be back this way on Wednesday.

Today I ride to meet Birdie in Claresholm, Alberta, Canada. I left about 9:20 a.m. and went to gas up. As I stopped at the gas station I noticed my battery light was on. I headed over to the Belgrade Harley shop which was very close. As it turned out it was an engine light. I was told the stator, battery and regulator all checked out and they reset it and it didn't come on again. So off I went.

By the time I was half way to Helena the light had come on again. I phoned the shop and they said to go ahead and keep going and it was probably just a bad light, so I was going to stop at Great Falls. Blew through without seeing the shop, and without getting gas. I should have stopped.

I rolled into Shelby, MT., with 172 miles on the tank, and needing 4.130 gallons of gas. It's a 4.2 gallon tank. I was running 55 mph and hoping I'd make it. I'd been running harder since the speed limit is 75 mph ... wow, I sure breathed a sigh of relief, and promised myself I'd not do that again.

On the road about 15 miles from the border crossing I saw under a solo tree what appeared to be a huge and beautiful elk. In retrospect, I thought about it and it looked like a reindeer, big, dark brown, horns dark with velvet. As I thought about it, I remembered coming through this same area last year returning home from Sturgis, and riding in the dark. I saw a large elk then, too. Now I'm thinking maybe I'm hallucinating, or someone is playing a strange prank. I will stop at that mileage post on the way back to check it out ... very strange.

This time I figured I'd see the shop in Lethbridge and stop there. Nope. So, gassed up and tried to blow through there, too. However, typical of me, I did not take the right road and had to backtrack a mile and ask directions three times before I found my way.

At 6 p.m. I pulled into Claresholm and a few minutes later found the Bluebird Motel, one that Two Bike has wanted to stay at. I got registered and then took photos so I can send them to him. It's a quaint little place, where you park outside your door. The rooms have been refurbished, and have antiques in them. Our room has a TV stand that is an old Singer sewing machine stand. It's a large room, with two queen beds, and is very clean. Wi-fi is definately a plus, too.

Birdie got in about 7:44, just in time for us to go get a bite to eat and take a little walk to stretch our legs. We were both starving. Was good to see her, know she'd arrived without incident and we can now start our excellent motorcycle adventure.