THERE AND BACK AGAIN: Two Bettys explore the Wild West.

[markwelna]

I didn't have a motorcycle tour scheduled for this summer. I got in trouble with my girlfriend for my three week tour around the Baltic Sea last summer. She couldn't join us then. The trip was spectacular. It ate up most of my vacation. I didn't communicate with her enough when i was gone. This is not that story.

When my friend invited me and my girlfriend to go along with him and his wife on their summer vacation tour through the Rocky Mountains and the wild west it seemed like the right trip for the summer. We agreed.

The plan: I would depart Saint Paul, MN via motorcycle on Friday 8/29/11 to spend one night with my cousin at his bachelor's party on Lake Mille Lacs. I would meet up with my girlfriend several hours north at a resort with her family the next afternoon. We would spend Saturday and Sunday at the resort on Lake Washburn near Outing MN with her family and would meet up with our friends Nate and Maicie (from Duluth, MN, and one day into there trip) near the headwaters of the Mississippi near Itaska MN and began our journey together.

Our intent was to go through Glacier, Yellowstone, and the Big Horn Mountains. We would also see Devils Tower, Mount Rushmore, and the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota.

The Details: Nate and his wife would ride there 2006 GL1800 (Black Betty) towing their new Alumna Trailer (Bambalam). I liked the name of his bike so much i jokingly started calling my 76 GL1000 Yellow Betty and the name started to stick.

Miles Traveled: 3749

Fuel Economy: Worst: 30 mpg. Best: 43 mpg

Top Speed: 100 MPH

Repairs made to Yellow Betty: Flat tire on front (new tire and tube prior to trip). 40 miles from home. Headed for bachelor's party. Tube changed successfully on the side of the road. Day two. Coolant leak from top hose. Hose clamp tightened. Resolved. Glacier National Park the bike starts to misfire. I assume it's a timing issue and continue to ride. Later in the rain outside of Yellowstone the missfire gets much worse so i began to think electrical. That night i run the bike in the dark. Spark plug cap #3 is shorting straight out the side of the cap into the block. The poor bike was probably running on three cylinders or damn near for two days or so. I wrap the plug cap in about 10 feet of electric tape and the bike runs like it should. Back in buisiness.

Repairs made to Black Betty: None.

The pictures will tell the rest of the story........

Departure:

[markwelna]

Flat tire less than one hour into the trip. Good thing i had a new tube put in. There was about a half inch tear on the new tube seam.



taking the tire off...


and putting it back on with a "new" used tube.

[markwelna]

Northern MN on the way to Lake Itasca. First day of the trip together with my lady.



The Bettys meet.



Lunch break in Sykeston ND.



My girlfriend noodles a catfish.



The roads around Devil's Lake ND are undergoing MAJOR constuction due to flooding and the bikes get to experience some gravel roads......



After a high speed run across North Dakota the bike begans to look like it's BEEN somewhere.

[markwelna]

Black Betty starts to look tough.


Too bad we have to kill so many bugs.



It's a good thing i washed the bike before we left.





I like to climb trees.



Our first night at "rancho's" in Eastern Montana at Wolf Point. We are invited to a pow-wow by some friendly locals. We have to decline. We have a long way to go and a short time to get there.



To earn a spot camping for free we have to drive 20 miles on gravel one way. I am excited to be in the middle of nowhere alone with my friends. Except there are LOTS of mosquitos.



I like to take pictures of my motorcycles.

[markwelna]

More shots from near the free site on Lake Elwell in Montana near Chester.





The damn that made the lake.



I don't usually ride without protective gear.



Feels like nowhere.



From the Damn. The campsite is down in those trees somewhere.









Exploring. The camground above the damn is flooded. We're told the waters have receded significantly.



Plenty of time to settle into the Rockies.

[markwelna]

Approaching the mountains from the East entrance at St. Mary.



Camping outside of Glacier. We were told a grizzly was spotted from this site a few days ago. Some of us are uneasy about the idea of camping with bears. We are to later find out that a man from Saint Paul is mauled in Glacier while we are there.



The bikes climb up Logan's pass mostly without issue. My clutch later overheats in a traffic jam on a steep slope near the summit.



The beginning of the jam.



We go to the sun. We survive the mountain pass and exit the park. We have a quaint cabin reserved on the other side of the park. The owner is EXTREMELY friendly and accomodating. He allows Yellow Betty to have a bath.

[Primetimeslime]

Wow! Great ride! I really like the fairing on yellow betty.

I remember when I was a kid, I caught a little catfish about that size and it stung the living crap out of me! I swear that was the worst pain ever.

[markwelna]

A glacial river. Downsteam I take a swim. More like a quick dip. COLD.



A gravel road on the Western edge of the park leads to here.



We meet a gentleman a long way into his ride up the continental divide. And i thought motorcycle touring was tough!



Fire has been here.





Going back to the sun.



Camping somewhere between Glacier and Yellowstone. Canyon Ferry Lake or something?



Coming into Bozeman near Bridger Bowl. Used to ski there several years ago......



And further down the road we stumble across the Yellowstone Holiday resort near the West entrance to Yellowstone.

[markwelna]

Someone lets a bat in our cabin. Fortunately a rabies vaccinated zoologist is on hand.



After a nearly one hour traffic jam caused by inconsiderate tourists we have a close encounter with this huge Buffalo. Nowhere to hide except behind Black Betty.



More Yellowstone.



And more Buffalo...



Movement.....











the image is in the reflection.



the route up to Beartooth.



sometimes you have to make plans.





Near the summit of Beartooth.







Above the trees.



The decent.

[northwood]

Wow, all the way jealous. Awesome trip man. Wish I could have done that this summer.

[markwelna]

Thanks guys!! It was an excellent two weeks. The fairing provided excellent protection and the Hondaline saddlebag system was great too. More pictures to come.

[markwelna]

The Cheif Joseph HWY to Cody was so entertaining and beautiful that we didn't stop to take any pictures!! East of Cody you start to get into the Big Horn mountains. They are every bit as scenic as Yellowstone and Glacier except there is no trafiic or road construction. Beautiful.



Fortunately this thunderhead was headed in the other direction.





I need a better camera. But sometimes blurry photographs work.



KOA usually doesn't get me excited.........but the one next to Devil's tower was very nice.





In a tree again.







For awhile it looked like we were in for some weather. The wind picked up and got crazy. But it passed us just to the north.





Where the hell is Wall Drug?

[markwelna]

Camping on a Resevoir in the middle of South Dakota.



The last night of the trip on the Minnesota river.



Another tree looked enviting.





Cowboy.



Back in Saint Paul and to the real world.





Email sent to touring companions and friends this morning:

i wish that i could say that it was nice to be back in a car on my way to work this morning listening to the inconsequential chatter of the reporters....

my attentions shifted from guiding a motorcycle across the country, wondering what we'll eat next, wondering what's around the next corner.... to the economy, death tallys in iraq, and google's latest aquisition.

the good news is that our vacation spending seems to have turned around the economy. and it was nice to be in our own bed and to see family. and to see the dog.

when i win the lottery a 5 year worldwide motorcycle tour is on me.

thanks for the trip all.

yellow betty says we went 3749 miles. she's tired. we all knew we had a long way to go.

[sunnbobb]

Great pictures and documenting of your trip. I am jealous! Thanks for sharing!

[STREETWING78]

Mark,
Great ride and thanks filling us in on the wonder trip.

Bike looks great,gotta be a joy compared to the 500/550 huh !!!

So you like the fairing and the bags,gotta find me some luggage like that..