Day Tripper

[Duner Tor <tors@xxxxxxx>]

 Yesteday morning, 3 of us took a nice day trip. Me, on the Sprint, and two
friends, one on a Yamaha YZF(?) 1000, and the other on a BMW K1100LT. We
leave Bozeman at 10 am and head east on I-90 for 100 miles(70 minutes) to
Columbus and then head south on MT 78 for Red Lodge. It's always a joy to
ride this road. The 19 miles between Roscoe and Red Lodge look like a
computer generated car ad. A ribbon of asphalt laid over undulating
landscape with the Beartooth Range off to the right. 80 mph curves and
140(for some of us) mph broad sweepers, no traffic, cops, or trees hiding
injurious surprises.
  We cruise through Red Lodge and start up the Beartooth Highway. The snow
comes early here, sometimes it never leaves, but none has fallen yet this
year. If the Beartooth was in the Alps, it would be considered a ho-hum
pass, but it's spectacular nonetheless. We pull into a scenic overlook near
the top and run into 2 guys from Texas on their way to Banff. One is on a
VFR, and the other on an R1(!). As usual the ST is an object of interest,
right down to the oil streaks on the lower right fairing.
  We press on and over the Beartooths amidst the tundra and crystal clear
ponds into Wyoming and then back into Montana to Cooke City MT, where we
stop for gas. A guy on a Honda ST1100 going the opposite direction, tells
us he has just gotten a ticket in the Park, so we are warned. Pay the $15
each at the entrance to Yellowstone and head for Tower Junction through the
Lamar Valley. The Lamar Valley is loaded with elk, bison, wolves, moose,
and other assored wildlife. This day we see only bison, elk, and right by
the road, either a wolf or a coyote, depending on whom you talk to.
 I avoid the Park like the plague during the high season, but after Labor
Day traffic is light and my Road Rage is less of a problem. Soon, however,
we tire of the 45mph speed limit and revert to our sociopathic ways.
Sociopaths make good riding buddies. Pretty soon we're in Mammoth Hot
Springs and we exit the Park at Gardiner MT. From there it's a beautiful 52
mile straight shot up the Paradise Valley to Livingston. We stop in
Livingston at the Murray Hotel for a couple of beers before heading over
Bozeman Pass 23 miles to home. One of the nicer 350 mile circles.
 The ST and I are becoming fast friends.


 If anyone is going to Ojai CA for the Iron Butt finish this Friday, I'll,
hopefully, be there. My Texas trip has been postponed. Look for a dark
green BMW R1100RT with MT tag reading (what else?) "RT". I'd take the ST,
but this is gonna be a burner and I haven't gotten it wired for the V1 yet.
Also, the oil leak has me slightly worried.

Duner Tor
Bozeman MT











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