BeastieGirl
Well-known member
Having downsized this spring from my Yamaha FZ1 to a FZ6R, I was a little concerned how it would handle touring requirements – but having put on about 5,000 kms, on a combination of highway, twisties and questionable road conditions), and being able to configure a pretty compact touring set up, I am convinced that it will handle my touring needs just fine. So let the fun begin – finally a real trip!
My original plan was to go to Sturgis for bike week, leaving August 1st and adding a couple of days onto the next week, staying at the Buffalo Chip for the week (I actually booked a week’s non-refundable camping/concert package in a burst of regrettable enthusiasm), and being back on the 10th or 11th. But then I was able to get both complete weeks off at work, so things expanded from there.
In my new itinerary, I’m taking a break from the Chip and heading west – staying in Red Lodge Montana on the 4th and in Sheridan, Wyoming on the 5th. My plan is to take the take a yet undetermined scenic route from Sturgis to Red Lodge, then the Beartooth highway from Red Lodge to Cooke City, then 212 back to its intersection with Chief Joseph Scenic Byway 296, run 296 to Cody and 14 A through the Big Horn mountains to my hotel in Sheridan. I’m really more of a rider than a partier, and booking the whole week at the Chip was a mistake – but I’m not going to ruin my whole vacation for the sake of a couple of nights camping fees tossed away. Especially since I’ve never ridden the Beartooth Highway and who knows when I’ll get the chance again – I think its worth the trade-off. I'm also thinking it will be nice to hit the cooler mountain air for a couple of days.
August 6th – back at the Chip for Thursday and Friday nights for sure, maybe Saturday which is paid for, but I suspect I’ll be wanting to haul my butt out of there by Saturday, but we’ll see how crazy things are and how much sleep deprivation I've suffered by then
August 10th and 11th – staying the Bryce Canyon area – route down will depend on whether I leave on Saturday or Sunday. I’m familiar with the area from a prior tour, but still lots of things I haven’t seen and Utah is so spectacular. I haven’t really planned my route down yet – I have at least 2 days, maybe 3 – so it leaves room for some side trips. Then my last pre-planned stop is at Central City in Colorado – I have a pretty good idea how I’m going to go there from Bryce Canyon – again after two trips that way I’m pretty familiar with the area, and that leaves me with an easy 3 – 4 days to hit home. Its been a while since I’ve done a real tour – other than booting down to Deals Gap.
My original plan was to go to Sturgis for bike week, leaving August 1st and adding a couple of days onto the next week, staying at the Buffalo Chip for the week (I actually booked a week’s non-refundable camping/concert package in a burst of regrettable enthusiasm), and being back on the 10th or 11th. But then I was able to get both complete weeks off at work, so things expanded from there.
In my new itinerary, I’m taking a break from the Chip and heading west – staying in Red Lodge Montana on the 4th and in Sheridan, Wyoming on the 5th. My plan is to take the take a yet undetermined scenic route from Sturgis to Red Lodge, then the Beartooth highway from Red Lodge to Cooke City, then 212 back to its intersection with Chief Joseph Scenic Byway 296, run 296 to Cody and 14 A through the Big Horn mountains to my hotel in Sheridan. I’m really more of a rider than a partier, and booking the whole week at the Chip was a mistake – but I’m not going to ruin my whole vacation for the sake of a couple of nights camping fees tossed away. Especially since I’ve never ridden the Beartooth Highway and who knows when I’ll get the chance again – I think its worth the trade-off. I'm also thinking it will be nice to hit the cooler mountain air for a couple of days.
August 6th – back at the Chip for Thursday and Friday nights for sure, maybe Saturday which is paid for, but I suspect I’ll be wanting to haul my butt out of there by Saturday, but we’ll see how crazy things are and how much sleep deprivation I've suffered by then
August 10th and 11th – staying the Bryce Canyon area – route down will depend on whether I leave on Saturday or Sunday. I’m familiar with the area from a prior tour, but still lots of things I haven’t seen and Utah is so spectacular. I haven’t really planned my route down yet – I have at least 2 days, maybe 3 – so it leaves room for some side trips. Then my last pre-planned stop is at Central City in Colorado – I have a pretty good idea how I’m going to go there from Bryce Canyon – again after two trips that way I’m pretty familiar with the area, and that leaves me with an easy 3 – 4 days to hit home. Its been a while since I’ve done a real tour – other than booting down to Deals Gap.
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