The 1911s do YFO

[wheatonFJR]

Mrs 1911 is my hero. Both of them, really...but going through the issues, then camping in all sorts of weather. Major league kudos. Both Duane and Marilee are great people...I am so happy they got to do this big trip!

[Redfish]

I am just pissed off that I did not meet them at YFO. I even got their bike and trailer in my pics.

[Hppants]

I didn't realize that after YFO, you had so much more trip to experience.

Boy I'm jealous re: Glacier NP. That one is real high on my bucket list.

I like the "Ms. 1911 staring" pictures too!!

[Uncle Hud]

<snip, snip, snip> Funny, we take a bucket list trip and our bucket list just gets longer.

But my favorite moments occur on the seat of the bike as we round a curve or top a hill and slam into a surprise scene of amazing beauty.

I'm quoting you -- even before I get to the end of the thread -- because you're capturing so much of why I love to tour. Photos are killer, by the way.

[Steel_Gin]

Reading this gives me the thought of quitting work, jump on my bike and head west. Great RR!!

[1911]

....I'm hesitant to offer this, but my favorite picture of your report thus far is the one at sunrise on the Manchester camp site......I'm also thrilled to read Mrs. 1911 is feeling better.

Throwing a lot of stuff on the wall here. I'm pleased with any little bit that sticks. And ME TOO!

[1911]

You reminded me of a quote from Louis L'amour:

Somewhere my love lay sleeping,
Behind the lights of a far-off town;
So I gave my heart to a bend in the road;
And off I went, a-yondering.

WOW. Thanks.

And funny you should mention L'amour. A few days down the road in this report we'll be smack in the middle of the settings for many a western novel. Maralee starts rattling on about cowboy life stuff like shes experiencing some kind of past life recollection. Remember now, she's barely been west of Big Muddy to this point in her life. I'm almost afraid to ask her where her theories are coming from. She says, a little to my relief, "from all those Louis L'Amour books that I read as a kid. You know, the ones on the shelf beside your desk." Looking to my right as I type this,I see a bookshelf packed fool of old paperbacks written by L'amour, Zane Grey, Dick Francis, Max Brand. As soon as she was old enough to read adult lit, Maralee would devour anything horse related.She watched Bonanza with her Grandmother religiously. Now why can't I get her to watch a western (that doesn't have Don Knotts in it) with me? Every time I tune into Pale Rider or Josey Wales she makes a beeline for the other TV.

[1911]

.......hero.......camping in all sorts of weather.......

Uh-oh. You may be in for a little letdown when we get to days 15 and 16.

[1911]

Reading this gives me the thought of quitting work, jump on my bike and head west. Great RR!!

Thanks deang. I'm enjoying all the interest and comment here but I can think of no higher compliment to a report than this.

[1911]

Day 14 Glacier to Livingston Montana

We depart Glacier NP heading east across the bottom of the park, then we head south, keeping the Rockies on our right and plains on our left.

Browning, in one of those see the whole town moments



And to your right.....



Had to get a picture of the weather over the hills west of Choteau. You should have seen it in color (sorry Jamie Johnson).



Down to Wolf Creek from Augusta. Do the folks that live out here ever get bored of travel to views such as these?



Lunch in Dupuyer. If I tell you this is the last corny rest area lunch stop pic of the report I’d be lyin’. The whole time we’re here only two other vehicles roll through.





The minivan ignores us but the m/c rider sees or tag and comes right over. He seems a little surprised at how far we’ve ridden on “that’s not exactly a touring bike”. He’s a retiree from Virginia, near Roanoke. He’s bought a summer house here in Montana. I’m jealous. Mrs1911 is amused by the two of us standing her in Montana talking about riding in the Carolinas and Virginias.

We get to Livingston KOA a little cold. There was about a 60 mile stretch of I-90 near the end of this days ride. It was cool enough that we could have stopped to add a layer or plug in, but when the barn’s almost in sight……We crank up the tstat in the cabin and stand in front of the “fireplace”.

We’ve reserved a cabin for tonight. About every fourth or fifth night we’ve arranged to sleep indoors, trading tent pitching for doing laundry and pondering why all the old arcade games seem to end up in KOAs.







This place https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcjsuhm5wO8 is NICE.



The sunset at the Pacific Ocean was a bit of a disappointment. The clouds just weren’t quite right. Tonight’s make up for it. We sit by the river and take a couple hundred pics.



















https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRcCrSl4z8I

[wheatonFJR]

Woww.

[1911]

Day 15 Friday and Day 16 Saturday- Yellowstone!

KOA Livingston is right outside Yellowstone. The original plan was to do a load of laundry and then head into Yellowstone. Friday breaks sunny but quickly clouds up. One thing I like and have really looked forward to is being able to watch weather in the wide open western skies, so the clouds don’t bother me at all. It’s a little chilly though and a sprinkle of rain blows through occasionally. We’ve got a tent site in Grant Village Campground reserved for Friday and Saturday nights. Grant Village is on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake at 7000+ feet. From the comfort of our cabin I keep checking the weather forecast for Yellowstone Lake- scattered showers, lows in the 30s, 20-30mph winds. I ask the desk if our cabin is available for the next two nights, kind of hoping that it isn’t $$$$. The clerk says yes, the plastic comes out. When I call to cancel the campground reservations I’m surprised that the vendor says they will refund my fee. I second guess my decision for the next couple days. Wimping out means seeing a little less of Yellowstone. Two things make me think we made the right call though. The temp at Yellowstone Lake Sunday morning is 28, without the windchill. When we get home we find in our email, from the park service: “Our records indicate that you're scheduled to stay at the Grant Campground within the next week. We wanted to advise you that due to the exceptionally heavy snow fall this winter, and the 7,800 foot altitude of the campground, we're still working hard to clear snow from much of the campground. Warmer temperatures should help us with this process, but there remains a possibility that many sites will still have snow while you're here (see campsite images below).We ask you to be prepared for cooler temperatures and snow in and around the campsites. Some tenting guests may need to set up on top of the snow. Lingering snow in RV-compatible sites might make for a tighter fit for the RV itself.Please be advised that there is very limited availability at the other Xanterra-operated campgrounds in Yellowstone. While we don't want to discourage you from coming, if you chose to cancel your Grant Campground reservation due to this snow situation, we will gladly waive the cancellation fee and fully refund the Grant Campground portion of your reservation.” Two extra nights in the cabin-priceless.

So Friday morning we head into Yellowstone, from the north entrance, and head down the western side of the Grand loop. Once again words and pics are insufficient.







The traffic is a little heavy and progress slow, as expected, and not a big deal because we are sightseeing too. Let so much as a ground squirrel pop up and everybody has to stop to take a picture. It’s not as bad as some friends and family have reported though. We get to Old Faithful at the end of an eruption, so we go to the store to kill 90 minutes. We grab a bite to eat and watch some docu/info stuff on the TV, including video intended to discourage dummies from approaching wild animals. Stuff like elk destroying cars and bison goring and tossing people around like rag dolls. Remember that bison part, we’ll need it later. We catch Old Faithful and a little more scenery and then exit through the west entrance.









Even outside the park I stop to capture the views and weather.



Right up to the road into the KOA.



Saturday we head back into Yellowstone, almost with a little dread, expecting the crowds and traffic to be even worse. One of the Rangers working traffic at admission asks if we have our pass already and we show it with enthusiasm. She tells us to bypass the rest of the traffic on the shoulder and move to the front of the line When we finally get over to the east side of the Grand Loop there is hardly ANY traffic. Our progress is exactly what WE decide it will be, with plenty of photo stops.

















I can’t believe it when we catch a horseback tour heading out among the bison and the whole picture taking traffic jam is exactly one FJR long.







We stop for lunch at a pullout that isn’t too crowded. We eat and walk around a little, ending up on the northern end of what a little farther south is called The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.







This focus of video clip passes right over some wildlife.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151982254 ... 981126506/





And this fellow has a bunch of people (not me of course) thinking they are capturing eagle antics.







It’s getting a little late and I want to see Yellowstone Lake. I ask some visitors that have come the opposite way about directions, distance, time. They tell us to go across Dunraven Pass

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151982254 ... 800935072/





where we catch a few flakes of snow in the air

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151982254 ... 800935072/

and turn left at the fourth buffalo.



Yellowstone Lake-WOW.







If you concentrate hard enough on the chop on the water and the clouds over the mountains, you can almost feel how glad I am that we are sleeping indoors tonight.



It’s getting late enough that Mrs1911 reminds me that if I don’t quit stopping to take pics of mountains and blowing snow



https://www.flickr.com/photos/151982254 ... 981126506/

we’re going to be out way past dark.

So I put the cameras up and we head to the exit. We are in “back to the barn” mode when the last big “scare” of the trip happens. We notice the oncoming cars flashing their headlights at us then we come to a stop in a curve behind a camper. When the camper ahead of us pulls off we are face to face with a group of bison and recalling the goring/tossing video from the day before. They are walking toward us four abreast in the oncoming lane just like it is the most natural thing in the world to them. Closest to the center line is an adult. Next to the nearest adult is a calf and next to the calf two more adults. I want to dig out a camera but there is no way I’m taking my hand off the clutch and throttle. The centerliner passes by so close that I could reach out and poke him in the eye. I see nothing in that big black eye that indicates fear, excitement or any real interest at all in us. That the GoPro battery is dead and the cameras are put away is one of the three moments of great sorrow on this trip. The other two are when the last of Mrs1911’s homemade brownies is eaten and when Little Feat’s Bottle Rockets “I Love my Dog” plays on the radio. We do miss our dog so.

We get back to the cabin shortly before dark having enjoyed immensely a day that started out with a little reservation, and getting a few more weather pics outside the park.







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1vfWjRxo1Y

[wheatonFJR]

WOW.

[LKLD]

WOW.

+1 Gunny!

[Hppants]

Really enjoying this. Surprised you found a last minute cabin over there - I would have been compelled to try as you did - 28 degrees is quite chilly in the tent.

I've been thinking that my next trip "out west" will include Yellowstone. Your report is reinforcing that.

[Uncle Hud]

WOW.

+1 Gunny!

+1 again, BIG Gunny!

Visited Yellowstone a couple of times while living in Idaho Falls. I think -- honestly -- there is no place more beautiful on the planet. Mountains, meadows, rivers, waterfalls, volcanic spouts/geysers/mudpots, and all the incredible animals ....

Really digging this report, sir!

[CraigRegs]

An near-literal brush with a bison! Wow. What a trip! Enjoying the heck out of this RR!

[Redfish]

We did a Redfish family vacation two years ago and hit Yellowstone and Glacier in the same trip. Your pics bring back the happiness we felt at being there.

We had a similar traffic jam but in our case it was a single huge male in our lane traveling slowly in the direction we were going. Each vehicle would move as far left as possible and go around. We happened to be in Pop's brand new '14 GMC that began the trip with less than 5K miles. I was driving, Pop was in the passenger seat. As we began our pass I made a (very small) move toward the beast and told Pop, "I am videoing this on my phone. You swat him on the ass and let's see what he does."

I am grateful that my Mom, my wife and my son were in the truck with us. That moderated his language.


Did y'all see the water falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone? That was incredible.

[BikerGeek]

Good stuff!

Your bison encounter reminds me of one that Carver had a bit ago.

[1911]

Day 17 Livingston Mt to Custer SD

Changing our lodging arrangements at Yellowstone means we’ll miss some stuff that I had wanted to see on the way out of the park, like Beartooth Highway. Mrs1911, being the trooper that she is, disguises as relief and joy her disappointment at missing out on some more altitude bouncing, sheer drop-off just over the white line, winding mountain roads. But there’s usually a trade-off.

I didn’t know we’d be passing right by Big Timber Mt. And it’s driving me crazy trying to figure out why the sign for Big Timber is significant to me. Just before we pass the offramp for Big Timber it comes to me. I veer off and we wander around looking for something .45-70ish. Big Timber is a little town but my blind search is fruitless so I pull over to see if Google can help. The network here is slow. While I’m waiting on Google I find myself thinking about the folding paper and available plastic that are riding along with us in case of emergency, and what can be jettisoned from the trailer. Before Google comes up with anything I shut it down, take a picture and head back to the slab.



What’s in Big Timber to test a man’s self control so?

https://shilohrifle.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiloh_Ri ... ng_Company

The more northerly route and extra time mean we can stop at Little Big Horn.















Mrs1911 is particularly interested in the horse cemetery and tells me all about Comanche, the lone US Calvary mount to survive https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comanche_(horse)





A ranger delivers, quite artistically, a monologue/interpretation about the battle and circumstances leading up to it.



We have arrived at Little Big Horn about lunch time. Conspicuous in its absence at a National Park is food service. If there is a bottle of water for sale I missed it. It takes a while to dawn on me that this is a cemetery and that maybe that has something to do with the subdued retail environment. In addition to the people that died in the Battle of Little Big Horn, Custer National Cemetery rests finally veterans from all US conflicts up to Vietnam.









You can’t always choose your neighbors. We set up at our campsite in Custer SP.




We are right next to what looks like about three families sharing a spot. And there is quite a collection of youngsters among them. Kids in the 5-10 year old range, with toy walkie-talkies and cell phones, are running amok and generally having a big ole noisy time, exactly as a bunch of kids should be doing. Kids doing what kids do doesn’t make for the restful evening that a couple weary travelers are looking forward to. We run into the town of Custer and eat a pizza. It’s pretty good, or we’re really hungry. When we get back the kids haven’t slowed down at all. Mrs1911 predicts an unpleasant evening. I tell her not to panic. 10pm is quite time as posted in the campground rules. If things haven’t calmed down by then I’ll go over and ask for a little consideration. I don’t think I’ll have to. These kids have been running through the campground and fresh air all afternoon. I’m betting that as soon as somebody makes them sit still for more than a minute or two, they’ll be out cold. Sure enough a little after sunset one of the adults next door is ready for a little relief from the racket and wrangles in the flock of hellions. In no time they are out like light bulbs and so are we.