Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Day 6 - Cody, Wyoming to Great Falls, Montana. 371 Miles Ridden Today. 1,932 Total Miles From Indianapolis, Indiana.





This morning the Iron Horse adventurers were heading to Great Falls, Montana.  They departed Cody, Wyoming by way of the Chief Joseph Highway.  Then they went west onto the Bear Tooth Pass.




David, Ron and Mike taking a moment for pictures at the start of the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway.
They are still in the state of Wyoming.





Here they are grouping up again after taking a short break for the photo opportunity.
This looks like another photo opportunity.  Check out Joe's helmet cam!  Looks like a Go Pro model.




Hey, they even have time for charades.
David is trying to describe the type of animal that he saw on the side of the road.   Must have been an ape.





What's this?  Is David giving Stu a playful hug?  Or is this the beginning of a choke hold?
Terribly early in the adventure for this.
Nah, they're just mugging for the camera!





After reaching the top, it's pretty amazing to see what you have just ridden.  Check out all of those curves.





  Can you imagine how loud that rushing water was?  Bet that water is ice cold too.


Bear Tooth Pass was opened to automobile traffic in 1937.  The road is 68 miles long.  Running in northwest Wyoming and southwest Montana it leads right into the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

The Pass runs right through an area referred to as the Bear Tooth Corridor.  This Corridor is surrounded by Custer, Gallatin, and Shoshone National Forests, Absaroka - Bear Tooth Wilderness and it butts into Yellowstone National Park.  



There are 20 peaks along the Pass that are over 12,000 feet in elevation.  Glaciers are found in many of the north flanks of those mountains over 12,000 feet.  The Bear Tooth Pass itself is the highest elevation roadway in Wyoming and Montana.






Heading towards Yellowstone National Park




It looks like they have arrived in Yellowstone National Park.  Well, at least Mike has.





Yellowstone National Park is ranked by National Geographic as the 4th most visited national park in the United States.  Ron, Fred and David pose for a picture with a park ranger.





Off in the distance a herd of Buffalo were spotted.
The guys reported seeing not only Buffalo, but Elk, a solitary Gray Fox, White Tail Deer, scads of Prairie Dogs and Antelope.  I am happy to report they did not see any Uncleope.




There he is.  Up close and personal.  As a matter of fact, that's close enough!



Sit back, enjoy the beauty and splendor.

























As the six exited Yellowstone, they entered Montana.







And, they were welcomed by this rustic sign.







Stopping for lunch at the Iron Horse Bar & Grille in Gardiner seemed like an appropriate choice.







Always wanting to be helpful, Fred cleans Mike's windshield during a fuel stop.
That enormous squeegee might be a little over kill.  The man in the car must be thinking the same thing.






That open country certainly has a way of making a person feel very small and insignificant.
There is no wondering why they call Montana, Big Sky Country.
The guys eventually completed the day's journey by reaching Great Falls, Montana.




Every evening, Ron makes notes of the day's trip and happenings.




2 comments:

  1. I love that little town of Gardiner--- we've been a couple times after being in the park (out there seeing Adam's brother). His ranch is only like a half hour from Gardiner. Yellowstone is only one of the 2 national parks I've been, and I guess there are others that are very impressive, but we've always had a great time in Yellowstone and there is so many beautiful things to see.

    Looks like you guys are having a great time. Today Natalie and Jack were watching the tractor in the field behind our house and she kept insisting it was "Pa"! I kept reminding her you were on vacation. Hope you've been getting our pictures. Love you! ~Beth, Adam, & Jack

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  2. Hey guys. Just wanted you to know that I missed you this time rolling through Gardiner. Would have been fun to meet for lunch again. But I'm faithfully following along here on the bottom of the world in the fair land of the kiwi. You guys should come down here and ride. The scenery is as stunning as anything in the states. I'm thinking a New Zealand trip would be good for you all. And you could do it Dec-Apr as that would be the peak of summer here. Perfect! Good luck on the rest of your ride.

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