Riding The Iron Horse Through The Mountains

ndsailor1@yahoo.comast the planned trip has started. Mary and I mounted up with all of our gear and headed out on the first leg of our Mountain Loop Trip. Our Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero handled the NW 20-30 mph cross winds just fine...making me glad we travel on a heavy bike. Temps ranged from 70 degrees on departure from Bismarck, to 95 degrees upon arrival in Billings, MT. A deer nearly jumped out right in front of the bike along I-94 just outside of Wibaux, MT around noon time, quite a shock. She started out onto the highway, I started to swerve to avoid the collision and she saw us and (thank God) took off in the opposite direction. Got to Billings, unloaded our gear at the Motel, shopped a bit , and had dinner at Old Chicago, after which we had a nice cool down in the Motel Pool....AHHHHH! Met Charlie WhiteBuffalo from Standing Rock, who had just come across the mountains to the west from Twin Falls, Idaho on his Harley. On to Red Lodge in the morning for breakfast, then up through the Beartooth Pass, Chief Joseph Highway, Cody, WY and back up into the Big Horn Mountain Range for a relaxing evening at the Bear Lodge at Burgess Junction.

DAY TWO: Up and about at 6:45 MDT, went down and took the cover off the bike, talked to Charlie for a bit then started loading up. Might be a bit on the cool side in the mountains today so will be wearing our chaps and jackets. Departed Billings enroute to Redlodge and a good dose of sourdough pancakes. The third restaurant we stopped at finally had what I was looking for (sourdough pancakes) and now the day can begin. Temps were about 65 degrees as we proceeded up toward the Beartooth pass and traffic was heavy today, at least more than I have ever seen crossing the pass. Stopped briefly at the "Top Of The World" store and continued on to the Chief Joseph Highway. The mountain valleys and ridges are rich with the history of the Nez Pierce Indian's fight for survival while being pursued by the mighty United States Army back in 1877. The "Dead Indian Pass" is significant in that it was the last barrier for more than 600 Nes Pierce and their 2000 horses as they fled the U.S. Cavalry. After the "Battle of the Big Hole" a month earlier the Nez Pierce knew the cavalry intended to leave no survivors. This became a flight for thier lives. On the run for more than 60 days they hoped that by making the ardious cllimb from the valley below and crossing this ridge they could reach the Plains and join up with their old allies ,the Crows, or join up with Sitting Bull in Canada. Rumor has it that they left a wounded warrior on this ridge , who was later discovered by Indian Scouts and killed....Thus the name "Dead Indian Pass".

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Trip Length: 12 years
Blog Entries: 0
Photos: 0
Words: 0

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