Kawasaki Concours Forum
Riding => Rides and Stories => Topic started by: Sgt Mac on August 10, 2012, 06:50:38 PM
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Some pictures from a quick 5 days through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and of course, Utah. Before we begin, pictures tend to be an after thought, I forget to take them. The bear travels with me, has for quite some time now. He makes a good traveling companion, doesn't complain and gives great advice.
the gear
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0314.jpg)
all packed up
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0316.jpg)
Montpelier, ID has a fascination with bears
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0322.jpg)
Headed towards Jackson Hole
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0328.jpg)
The most photographed spot in the US, according to the commercials
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0333.jpg)
More of the grand Tetons
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0334.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0336.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0346.jpg)
and a bit of Yellowstone
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0347.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0356.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0357.jpg)
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and then to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0359.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0362.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0367.jpg)
Yellowstone NP struck me as the one place that the only rule/law of driving that applied to travel within the park is the speed limit. All other rules are thrown directly out the window at the gate. Double yellows mean nothing to trucks towing campers that are more luxurious and cost more than my first home I bought and every house my parents have ever lived in. Upon sight of a buffalo, life as we know in comes to a screeching halt, ABS is applied, people stop in the middle of the road, get out of their cars and stand there, backing up traffic. Then they get uptight when you go roll up to them, stop with your front tire less than 6 inches from their shoelaces and lay on the horn. Said party then looked as though they hadn't realized that life had continued around them and they were standing int the middle of a road with a speed limit of 55 and had effectively packed up traffic for an 1/8 of a mile. They were quickly brought back to reality when a gentleman of 60 or 70 politely looked over at me, shrugged his shoulders and then addressed the couple with a quick 'Get out of the middle of the road the f@&king idiots'
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0369.jpg)
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Beartooth Pass? Can't remember.
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0371.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0373.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0377.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0383.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0385.jpg)
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(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0387.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0389.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0391.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0392.jpg)
Curiosity got the best of me, not what I was expecting when I checked it out.......just a lake. Disappointing.
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0399.jpg)
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Veterans Cemetery. Sturgis, SD.
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0401.jpg)
...and Sturgis, SD proper.....what a f@&king madhouse. Apparently, if you are female, there is a law that, no matter your age, weight or physical appearance, you must dress like a whore. The sheer amount of things you don't want to see.....ever.....far outweighs the number of things you do want to see.
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0404.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0409.jpg)
...and they're not kidding when the say you can only park in certain places for 1 hour. While putting my gear back on, I saw 4 bikes and a big dually pickup towed out of the parking lot.
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0410.jpg)
So after paying inflated prices for everything from food to gas to campsites, the farther away from Sturgis I got, the cheaper everything got. I paid the same price for this little cabin at a KOA as I did for a campsite the night before. By the way, KOA's are great and the campsites are well maintained.
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0414.jpg)
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Tom's Main Street Diner in Downtown Buffalo, WY
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0419.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMAG0113.jpg)
and some more great scenery
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0426.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0429.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0431.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0434.jpg)
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(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0436.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0445.jpg)
...and after all that beautiful scenery.........this
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0447.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0448.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0451.jpg)
Strait for miles with nothing around.
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Flaming Gorge, WY/UT
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0452.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0453.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0454.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0457.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0460.jpg)
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Flaming Gorge Reservoir, WY/UT...
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0461.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0464.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0467.jpg)
...and home again
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0479.jpg)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMAG0121.jpg)
1381 miles and the bike performed flawlessly. Just short of 43 mpg loaded with more than I needed, better to have and not need than need and not have. She rode well for having the extra weight, still held a line in the corners with confidence. Cruised comfortably but inched towards triple digits if I didn't watch it constantly.
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Good stuff Sgt. Thx for sharing.
Definitely BTH countryside!(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0385.jpg)
Just curious, did you cross 16 west of Buffalo? Also looks like one of the pix was taken in the WRC????
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Very cool SM, thanks for sharing bro, great pics, I love the laying in the road one! :chugbeer:
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Great pics. Leaving tomorrow for some of the same territory.
The bear? Didn't see it in the first picture.
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Really makes me miss Utah and the West! Great pics; thanks for sharing! :)
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Great pics! Sturgis during bike week is definitely not what I would consider a good time, but it looks like you limited your time there like I would have in that situation.
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Great pics. Leaving tomorrow for some of the same territory.
The bear? Didn't see it in the first picture.
He was already on the bike, he had to move from his normal spot to a perch atop the bag for the trip.
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Good stuff Sgt. Thx for sharing.
Definitely BTH countryside!(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz260/SgtMac/Yellowstone-Sturgis%20August%202012/IMG_0385.jpg)
Just curious, did you cross 16 west of Buffalo? Also looks like one of the pix was taken in the WRC????
Yup took 16 out of Buffalo, didn't get many pictures of it as it's a very fast road. There is a bit of construction that takes away from the fun, but it's still a nice stretch pf road.
WRC? Wind River Canyon, if so yes.
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Hey Sgt Mac good pics and report and yes you are right about Sturgis quite the place. Sounds like we were in the same area at close to the same time I just got back the 11th from a week trip to lots of the same areas. Next time your out Utah way I could show you some of Southern UT its nice too.
Never mind that I see were your at now.....LOL... I just finished a F22 building at Hill got to love this state for the variety of what you can ride huh?
Dave
PS...... Love the bear idea now I may have to start taking a stuffed animal with me. ;D
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Sgt. Mac thanks for the report and the pics. I'm heading out to the same area the middle of next month. Glad you had a nice ride.
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Awesome pics Mac!
Clean up required on aisle 14, you got a lil pooh on your bike. ;D
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Hey Sgt Mac good pics and report and yes you are right about Sturgis quite the place. Sounds like we were in the same area at close to the same time I just got back the 11th from a week trip to lots of the same areas. Next time your out Utah way I could show you some of Southern UT its nice too.
Never mind that I see were your at now.....LOL... I just finished a F22 building at Hill got to love this state for the variety of what you can ride huh?
Dave
PS...... Love the bear idea now I may have to start taking a stuffed animal with me. ;D
Headed down to Moab tomorrow with the family, going to try to hit as many of the parks as we can in 4 days, then off to Yellowstone, Montana, Wyoming and S. Dakota with family in tow again Labor day weekend. I do love the area and ride as many new roads as I can. Just not sure I can stick around to much longer.
Just did the Energy loop a few weeks ago, right after the fire, still amazingly beautiful.
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Clean up required on aisle 14, you got a lil pooh on your bike. ;D
That sir.....is funny.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VuM4lPdu0dk/Tk1V8pOZTPI/AAAAAAAAAI8/IM6P4QxgIVE/s1600/cat_laughing-11948.jpg)
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Headed down to Moab tomorrow with the family, going to try to hit as many of the parks as we can in 4 days, then off to Yellowstone, Montana, Wyoming and S. Dakota with family in tow again Labor day weekend. I do love the area and ride as many new roads as I can. Just not sure I can stick around to much longer.
Just did the Energy loop a few weeks ago, right after the fire, still amazingly beautiful.
Take one of the white water raft trips if you can while you're there. We were there last year and other than my wife almost drowning, we had a great time!
I have pics of the whole NDE thing, if you want to see? I don't want to hijack your thread.
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Sarge, love this pic. Last time I saw a hog hung up like that I was working in a slaughterhouse.
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Take one of the white water raft trips if you can while you're there. We were there last year and other than my wife almost drowning, we had a great time!
I have pics of the whole NDE thing, if you want to see? I don't want to hijack your thread.
Throw 'em in, I'd love to see them.
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Sarge, love this pic. Last time I saw a hog hung up like that I was working in a slaughterhouse.
It was one of probably 4 or 5 I saw towed out in the hour or so I was there, all from one parking lot. They were just making rounds, as soon as a truck got one dropped off, he'd come back and pick up another, had multiple trucks running.
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Taken Aug 2nd
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Throw 'em in, I'd love to see them.
Thanks for the offer. I'll start a new thread about it sometime today and give you a link here.
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Hey Mac, here's the raft trip that I mentioned. Since it's not a MC related trip I posted it in the open section.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10282.msg125505#msg125505 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10282.msg125505#msg125505)