Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Wyoming - Riding from West of Cody

It was around 5 in the afternoon when I arrived at my reserved campsite at the Rex Hale National Forest Campground on Friday afternoon.  I'd stopped for something to eat in Cody on my way through town and then also stopped at the Buffalo Bill Reservoir Dam.  It was a warm sunny afternoon and I thought I was being smart setting up my popup shelter but almost immediately after I'd finished, a thunderstorm whipped its way through leaving barely enough time to get the cover off of the frame before the strongest winds came.  I should have known better.  That was the last time the unit was setup on my trip.

Overview of the rides taken from Rex Hale (just outside of Yellowstone's East Entrance) over the few days that I was camped there.



Saturday morning's weather was perfect and there was no good reason not to do my much anticipated Chief Joseph / Beartooth Highway ride.

The Saturday ride in more detail....mostly staying on pavement except for a side trip on the way back down from the Beartooth.











People in the center of the photo....with their toboggan sleds.


 Dad and daughter just completed a run...

 







 On the beaten path....


Off the beaten path....





Sunday was determined to be "Yellowstone Day".  As mentioned before, Yellowstone wasn't really even a goal and in my trip planning, more of a "we''ll wait and see" kind of thing.  My time in the park was definitely a highlight and I enjoyed every bit of that Sunday in our first National Park.  My one and only disappointment, no bears.

In the East Entrance...Fisherman's Bridge...Canyon Village....Lake Village....West Thumb....Old Faithful.....and back to Rex Hale.


Most of my Yellowstone photos were already posted but I'll re-post a few here.








Monday I went back through Cody, ate breakfast at the famous Irma Hotel and on to the east, ALT Hwy 14 towards Powell to the Heart Mountain Internment Camp.  That was my morning and in the afternoon, I followed the South Fork of the Shoshone River until I ran out of road.



















After a quick lunch in Cody, it was out to the SW and up the South Fork of the Shoshone River.








Once back in Cody, I decided to visit the Buffalo Bill Center with its various museums under one roof.  My ticket bought admission for 2 days and it was a good thing, I stayed until closing time that afternoon and went back the next day.  If I ever return to Cody, I'll visit again.

The young Bill and a speaking hologram of an older and wiser Bill.



 Map made up of tiles in the large rotunda, looked at from high above.

 
 Places close to home that the traveling Buffalo Bill Cody show performed.






 
 Clouds......Martha would appreciate these.


It had been a full day and I was tired....

At the Buffalo Bill Museum complex once again on Tuesday, lots of looking, not so many photos.  I concentrated on The Plains Indians, Cody Firearms and Whitney Western Art Museum sections.  Photos were restricted in the art museum and I took none.

I'm a fan of the show (and even more so the books!) and couldn't help myself.  Both Peg and I really enjoy Johnson's books and both agree that the books' Henry is richer than the one portrayed in the Longmire TV series.

Still...firearms used by the actors in the series...


I've always been a sucker for the Hawken guns.....had no idea there had been a 60 caliber.

 

 My last evening meal in Cody and once back in camp, finished up my last local IPA.



So that was it on Tuesday evening, 784 miles on the KLR, almost all of it pavement.  Wednesday, a short drive to Riverton, Lander, the motel refresher and then early Thursday morning, my drive up Hwy 26 to Dubois.




6 comments:

  1. Good set of pics and routes...

    A .60 caliber round, that'll get your attention!

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  2. Nice post Doug. 784 miles on the little KLR is quite a go. Good thing the seat looks comfy.

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    1. Thanks Brandy, 784 was almost half of what the bike accumulated over the 2 weeks. For the riding stints that I do, I get along well.

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  3. .... a lot of history visited....

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