proposed club ride/vacation.

[choptop]

Our riding club president is planning a club ride for next year. He does a lot of out of state vacationing by bike, I have a lot of faith in him and am considering this ride. I am posting the 1st post concerning the club ride, to get some reaction/input from forum members, who's input I respect, concerning this trip, here goes:

I am starting to think about a 2015 trip already! I can't help it, once I get the idea, I just gotta start scoping it out! Right now it's just a plan! I'll hash out the details by late Fall early winter, but I'll give ya all some food for thought! This trip will be open to anyone that wants to and can go!

Anyone with any insights on Yellstone / Grand Tetons is welcome. It has been 34 years since I was there last, but the memories of Beartooth Pass are etched in my mind!

It will be 10 days. The week of the 4th of July plus the preceding Friday. June 26 - July 5th. The 4th is on Saturday next year, I assume most companies will be closed Friday.

Day one will be a straight shot out to the Black Hills, maybe Keystone. 600 miles.

Two days riding the Black Hills.

Day four, ride west, visiting Devils Tower and run through the Big Horn Mountains to Red Lodge, MT. About 475 miles.

Day five, Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Memorial Highway.

Day six, ride Yellowstone Park and move home base to West Yellowstone.

Two days riding Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. (Toward the end of the second day we'll head east and out to the interstate to set up an easier ride home)

Two days to ride home (about 850 miles)

[Steve 0080]

I'm jealous!!!!!

[bobbyf6b]

Sounds good to me, as long as you have the time off.

[zeus661]

Better book your rooms in advance. I rode to Denver over July 4th this year. Not vacancies within 50 miles. Spent the night at a 7-Eleven and a hotel lobby where they let me sleep in a lobby chair for a few hours. I left Denver at 6am.

[choptop]

Better book your rooms in advance. I rode to Denver over July 4th this year. Not vacancies within 50 miles. Spent the night at a 7-Eleven and a hotel lobby where they let me sleep in a lobby chair for a few hours. I left Denver at 6am.

He has mentioned, in subsequent threads, about locking in lodging, once the plans are finalized and we know how many people are on board for this.

[VP8]

Sounds like a great trip. I actually went to Sturgis during the rally last year after spending a few days in Idaho to ride through Oregon and Washington. While we headed to Stugis, we rode through Lolo Pass (Hwy 12)...probably one of the best roads I have ever been on. While we were staying in Stugis, we visited Devils Tower, Badlands, Spearfish, Deadwood, Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Custer Park...on the way home, we also visited Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Bryce National Park, and Zion National Park. The trip was approximatly 5,000 miles in 15 days. It was an awesome trip...one I would love to do again.

I don't recommend going all the way into Devil's Tower...not much to see...and to me, not worth the entry fee unless you already posses an annual National Park Access Pass. There is a photo op area that most people just pull over to, to take a picture of your bike with the tower in the background.

As for yellowstone and custer park, there are buffalo there. For the most part, they are used to bikes and visitors, but I actually literally came face to face with a buffalo at yellowstone. So close the buffalo couldnt really figure me out while I was on my bike. He decided to approach me head on, and looked straight at me and my bike. I just kept staring at his big horns. Buffalo licked my headlight and continued to cross the rode. Later that day, there was a report that a heard of buffalo ran into several Harley riders. In short, just be careful around wildlife and enjoy the gorgeous senery.