Yellowstone Trip

[joedaddy]

Every year Wyowillys46 from ADVrider and I meet up and go for trips.  Last year we did the four Corners and this year we wanted to hit Yellowstone as Wyo(Morgan) had never been there and lives in Wy.  So we decided to make about a two week trip out of it.  My wife and son were going to be in Lander, Wy with her family for the fourth so we would meet up there and spend the holiday with the inlaws and then head out a day or two later.  Make our way to the park then into Montana then South to Idaho and over the tetons back into Wy, then south to Jackson hole/pinedale and then over Lander loop road to get back to Lander.  When all said and done this would be about 1600 miles total.  I would be riding my KLR and Wyo would be brining his trusty URAL.  Here's proof we made it to atleast the park


Anyways back to our story.  My Wife and Son left town on the first of July and I was on shift the 3rd so I wouldn't be riding out with them so we said our goodbyes and she left for Cheyenne to meet up with her other family members and carpool to Lander.  I was supposed to work a 24 on the 3rd and had planned on leaving the morning of the fourth.  Wish I would have.  Instead I called in a favor from a buddy of mine and he came in to cover for me the last part of my shift and I took off at about 3:30 pm from town got to my house in Keystone at about 4:15 and Left for Lander at about 5 pm.  Bad Idea number one just happened.  Okay so i head out of Kestone and decide to go through custer into wyoming then into newcastle and then back roads to Casper.  This seemed like a good plan until 30 miles out of New Castle I come upon a motorcycle wreck.  A guy driving his harley had hit a deer and the guy was laying face down in the middle of the road.  I normally don't stop at accidents and advise against it to most emt's that I work with when off duty as the legal ramifications can be tremendous, but he was in the road face down so i stop to help.  The guy had a buddy riding behind him and was at his side but the guy was frantinc and took some time to get calmed down.  His friend was unconscious and had a hole in the top of his skull, from looking around I think he kissed his handlebars and put something through the top of his head(of course no gear on at all just pants and t-shirt) so I talk the guys friend into helping me move the man off the road doing what we can to protect his neck and spine.  And we call 911.  I don't recommend this but the guy was in the middle of the road and on a hill so seemed like the best idea/safest for everyone involved.  Okay so I stay with these guys until the New Castle Ambulance shows up then i'm gone.  Only problem is now i'm an hour behind in my schedule.  Now the Next problem.  I stop in Wright Wy a thriving metropolis of Methheads and a gas station and fill up for the 100 mile haul to Casper get about 50 miles into that leg of the trip and start having running problems on the bike  apparently they spike their ethanol with Meth here    So i make it to Casper running very poorly and get some fuel stabalizer and some better fuel and now i'm debating on wether to keep going or not.  It's about 9pm and almost dark and I still have about 150 miles left to go.  But I want to surprise my wife b/c she still thinks i'm leaving in the morning.  That was Bad idea like 1000 by this point.  So about 20 miles out of Casper going towards shoshoni in the middle of no where I almost nail about 300 antelope/deer so I continue on at about 50 miles an hour since it's pitch black.  So what seems like forever I get to Shoshoni and fuel up get a cup of coffe and finally get to blink.  Now I have a huge headache and my eyes are pretty much jumping out of my head.  But, ever the trooper I continue on.  I get to Riverton around midnight and now i'm hyped just being around 30miles from lander.  So there is a ton of traffic from all the Riverton folks leaving lander after the fireworks show so I have a crap load of opposing traffic  coming towards me which is no big deal until the carload of kids pulls up behind me and decide they don't like me driving 50miles an hour.  So they make several attempts of forcing me onto the shoulder and i keep moving in front of thier car to keep them from running me off the road as i look for a good place in to pull over to let them pass when they finally just decide to share the lane with me and drive right next to me as then pass me I slow down more and let them go buy.  Now i speed up in an attempt to get their license plate number when a car turns around from the other lane and suddenly i'm getting pulled over.  So this Highway Patrol officer drove past us as the car was sharing lanes with me and he decided even though they left me behind that i must have been trying to pass them.  So he comes up to me and I say "What they hell they tried to run me off the road!."  Bad idea like 1,327 or something like it at this point.  But he was pretty cool and radio's up ahead to another officer but I wasn't able to get their plate # so all i know is it's a green dodge neon full of kids.  Then i spend the next 30 min explaining to this officer that i'm on a KLR and it's loaded with gear has a top speed of about 70mph and I'm wearing a neon yellow jacket to be safe so why on Earth would i be trying to lane share.  He finally believes me and just let's me go.  And I get to Lander safe and sound at like 130 am. 


That's my son Joe on the Ural

So Wyo meets up the next day and we have a couple of days of Drunken partying and fireworks.  Then we head out on our trip.  We head North out of Lander towards duboise and plan on doing some off roading in the Togwatee pass area for a day or two.



Wyo's Ural has a top speed of like 55 with all his gear so getting to the mountains was pretty slow but we finally get to Dubois and stop for some grub.  Then we head over to the Ranger station and get some maps that we find out later are not very up to date.  The ranger lets us know that Union pass a road we had planned on using as a shortcut from pinedale to dubois on our return trip is snowed in with like a 30ft snow drift and we won't be able to do it.  Ever the advriders the we are  we decide to head up the pass to check it out.









So we stop to take these on our way up the pass.  We make it to the Snow drift that ended up being about 30cm deep and we drive right through it.  we then go a little farther and make it here.



Yep that's me crying as the runnoff was well, obviously very cold but also like 3 feet deep.  So we head back down the pass and see on our map that we can hang a left on a forest service road and make a loop to where we want to camp.  Sweet we're pretty excited about getting to stay off the pavement and then we hit this










Yeah Wyo made it and I got stuck.  This is the only time on our trip that the Gripster had any trouble.   So I get the bike backed up and give it another run on the other side of the hole and make it no problem, ground wasn't so soft but we get like a mile up the road and it dead ends so our map lied and now we turn around.  We make it back to the last fork in the road and decide to take it, this was the right road the map was just wrong.  Anyways we drive on this road forever and finally after wasting most of the day make it to our campground at brooks lake. 



Now Morgan should be a KLR owner because he is a super tightwad when it comes to spending any kind of money but we decide we want the running water and place to lock up our food b/c bears are supposed to be very bad this year.  So we spend the full 12 dollars for no running water as they hadn't opened the faucets and to make matters worse the next morning we have these forest service workes stop by our tent at about 6 am and wake us up to tell us we have to leave b/c they are spraying for bark beetles.  We had decided to spend a few days around here but now we got kicked out of our site so we decided to press on.  WE did hit a really good road outside the campground that i'll call brooks pass here's a pic



We head back into dubois for some breakfast and Morgan decides to hit the local bike shop for some different riding gloves we pull into the parking lot and this is what happens.



Morgan was laughing his ass off and got a horrible picture but I thought I would share it as he will more than likely read this and would make horrible fun of me if I didn't include this pic.


So we head out and hit this horrible road construction and spend most of the day getting through that to get to moran junction and the entrance to Teton NP.  So we get to the gate at TETON Np and I talk with a ranger there and find out the  road we were planning on taking over the tetons (Grassy Lake road) is in horrible shape and is like 70 miles long and takes like two days to do and everyone that has done this pass runs into bears and wolves and i'm super excited thinking this will be bad ass........ More on that later but let me tell you we will here this same story about 30 times before we get to this road on how crazy messed up it is adn all the bears.  So we head up into yellowstone and b/c were so late due to road construction all the parks campground are filled and we end up riding to West yellowstone for a camping spot, we end up staying at the KOA for like 40 dollars a night for a tent site.  OUch.  And our day is over as it's taken 9 hours to get here.  So we settle in for the night drinking some beer and flirting with the two french Canadian Ladies camped next to us. 


Next morning we head out into Yellowstone to see the sights. We stop at the Norris Guyser basin



Get it Norris as in Chuck Norris is so fast he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.




While we are walking around the basin someone decided they would get into all my bags on my bike and throw things on the ground.  So I'm pissed off but take an inventory and nothing is missing so guess someone was just messing with my shit thankfully they didn't even take my mp3 player that was in my tank bag.  We reported it to the rangers and took off for the rest of the loop.  We finished up the loop stoping last at Old Faithful which is always neat to see, would be much cooler w/o all the people but what can you do.  So we head out of the park and decide that West Yellowstone was way to Yuppie for us and we head south Into Idaho and decide after a 40 dollar tent site we would splurge for a 60 dollar motel room.  So we did some laundry and ate some really crappy Mexican food and just took it easy that night after a long 12 hour day of riding. 

The next morning we go  hit a local Mormon Hang out with some okay breakfast and run into a sherriffs officer who stopped to speak with Morgan about his URAL which he spent like 30 minutes trying to talk this guy into buying one even going so far as to give him a ural brochure the he carries around and then His bike wouldn't start  it was classic.



So we ask directions from this Officer on how to get to Grassy Lake road which is in the middle of friggin no where and he tells us that he recommends having a shotgun with us as we will definitely run into grizzlys and that we should have plenty of supplies to stay a few nights cause the road is just that bad.

We finally get the ural running after a trip to the local hardware store for the most expensive air filter ever.  And off we go for this super exciting awesome road.

So as were on our way there I show off the awesome prowess of the KLR by leaving the ural behind to eat my dust 




So we finally get to this road and guess what.  It sucks it took us 2 hours to do the whole thing no wildlife and we passed two four door family sedans also on this road.    So the whole trip we are looking forward to this Awesome ride and it's a complete let down.  So we get back into teton park and decide to head to Jackson Hole for lunch




We ate  a nice lunch from Dairy Queen and then hit the road to Pinedale,   We stop to check out the map and see this glenn hot springs listed in the forest service so we head up some roads to find this spring and we get there and it's a total tourist trap someone had damned off a hot springs and turned it into a pool and then charge you like 10 bucks a person to swim there.  So we head back down the road and Morgan Mr. cheapskate is royally pissed so he makes a sign and hangs it at the start of the road and posts it on the forest service sign saying that there is a charge if you drive up to the springs.  I got a picture but can't find it right now will post it later.  Was pretty funny though. 


So we get to Pinedale and it's late been another 10 hour day on the bikes but there is some carnival thing going on and absolutely no place to stay either motel or camping places so we head into the forest and find a place to stay which was a nice change little camp fire and just chillin eating MRE's and actually camping.  We played with taking some long exposure pictures of the bikes in the moonlite that looked pretty cool on the cameras but never came out. 

Next day we do some trails and head out South to Southpass city and the Lander Loop road.

Here's morgans Highlight from South Pass City



Yep a hundred year old shitter.  Pretty Cool 

So we get onto the Lander Loop Road and we hit the highlite of the trip.  The Lander Loop Road is a Dirt Road that take you over a Mountain pass into Lander passed the Sinks State Park It's like 30 miles long and around the peak is a high ground clearence 4x4 only road to Christine Lake.  We decided we didn't want to get back to lander so early as we were like 3 days ahead of schedule so we would go up to the lake and camp.  Bad Idea 5000 or so.

We start up this road that is 11 miles long and by the time we are 3 miles in the URals clutch is burning up and I've fallen once and bent/cracked my crash bars.





'The Ural on a  hill climb.

Big Ass Mud hole




Me laying over in the Mud



Pushing out No help as Morgan didn't wan't to climb into the mud and was too busy taking the photos of doom!




So we get a little farther up the road and I bite the dust again this time on a bunch of rocks and this happens




The bars bent into the faring and we spent a large amount of time getting them apart as to not cause body damage but on the bright side the bars did their job and saved the plastic

At this point we run into two guys on four wheelers and they inform us the road gets worse and that the last two mile to the lake it's all giant rocks that they couldn't get over on their four wheelers and they said they guess you would need a 4x4 with 38 inch tires to make it over them.  So we pussed out and head back to the main road.  We decide that we would head into lander get rid of our equipment/gear and comeback up and hit some more trails.  So we get to the last mile of the road and hit a road closed sign.  We don't have enough fuel to go back so we pass the barricade and meet up with some heavy equipment operators who first start to chew my ass that we crossed the barricade, I get angry and chewed their ass telling them they should have a sign at the start of the 30 mile drive saying the road was closed ahead.  They see my point and tell us that we have to wait until 5pm when they are done working we can go down the road. 




So we sit here for like 3 hours until they finally let us pass. we get back onto pavement and were like 3 mile from landerr when my throttle quites working on the bike.  So stop on the side of the road and discover it wasn't the throttle quite working but when i buried the bike in the mud hole it was completely submerged and the muddy water loosened the glue on the grip so I had to take the grip off and just palm the throttle.  Thankfully, America's oldes kawasaki shop is in Lander and the Oldest man alive that works there was able to glue the grip back on for me 

We get back to the inlaws place and call it a day.

This is the end of the journey Morgan(wyo) headed home the next day my family and I spent about 5 extra days in Lander and then headed home.  That trip was uneventfull except my KLR burned all the oil in it.  all 2.5 liters were gone when i got home they were there when we left lander that morning.  I have read about some 08's burning oil but hope this was an isolated incident as it was very hot and I was really pushing the bike all the way home.

[Dustin]

Nice write up and pics!!!  Sounds like you two had a good adventure!!

[loingrader]

thanks for sharing.  i love riding in northwestern wy.  haven't taken my klr there yet, but it's on my list.

[fringefan]

I would love to do a long weekend out there next summer. I know a couple guys in the sheridan and cody areas that have offered to show us around if any are interested.

[The Yeti]

To be honest, I hadn't read this report until now because of the formatting, the small pics, and the fact that I can't access the larger pics without registering or something...I regret not reading it earlier, and very glad I didn't skip it all-together!! You definitly had some unique experiences this trip...whatever happened to the biker with the hole in his head? Do you know if he made it or not??

I normally don't stop at accidents and advise against it to most emt's that I work with when off duty as the legal ramifications can be tremendous

I understand, what with the legal ramifications and all, but as a layman, I kind of expect medical professionals to stop if I've been hurt, y'know, the hippocratic oath and all...I guess that's really not true in today's society.   

I would love to do a long weekend out there next summer. I know a couple guys in the sheridan and cody areas that have offered to show us around if any are interested.

I think that would ROCK! Especially if we could stay away from the throngs of tourists. I've always wanted to do Beartooth pass...not sure if there's any off-road opportunities up there, but would still like to do it just the same.

I'm also very interested in doing Moab someday....

[Hank]

That's a good report.   Pretty damn funny, loved the part about the non-starting Ural and brochure 

I wish the pics were bigger though.   I think you should repost them from a photobucket account.  I try to click on them and image shack just gives me some shit and won't show me anything good.

In my early to mid 20's I took probably 4 bike trips to Jackson, Yellowstone and Glacier in some combination.    Never got to do any DS'ing though.

[joedaddy]

Sorry about the Pics I wrote the report on KLRWORLD and used the image shack b/c that is what the administrator recommends.  I accidently made them the wrong size so I apologize and will change them when I am at home and have the time. 

Second for the Yeti here is your hypocratic Oath

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.

I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.

I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.

I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.


Written in 1964 by Louis Lasagna, Academic Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University, and used in many medical schools today.


1. It applies to Physicians, as a Medic in the U.S. Military I never took it.

2. I did stop and aid the man by positioning his airway and performing a head to toe assessment and serial Glascow Coma Score checks during  his periods of responsiveness.

3.  As a Paramedic I am required by law to work under the supervision of a Medical Director (licensed Physician)   This means that if we were in the Rapid City response area I would have been covered by my Medical director to provide better treatment to this person, that is if I had any equipment to use.  Since I was In BFE Wyoming I would not have been overseen by anyone wich is a problem.

4.  If I were to have done any treatment on this gentlemen and no I don't know how he came out, I would have been required to stay with him until his care could be transfered to a higher level of care, a Physician or a Nurse if in a hospital.

Sorry if any of that stuff makes me sound like a dick but that is how it is(legally).  I have no problem attending to injuries if we are all together on a ride especially in the hills as I would be overseen by my medical director.  Hope that helps you out Yeti.

[Jud]

I've always wanted to do Beartooth pass...not sure if there's any off-road opportunities up there, but would still like to do it just the same.

There are some spectacular rides in that area. Hellroaring Plateau and the Meeteetse trail are both suited to DS bikes. The spur up Sunlight Creek is a beautiful detour from the Chief Joseph, already one of the best rides in the world (better than the Beartooth itself, IMO). The Morrison jeep trail is a steep climb out of the canyon of the Clark Fork up to Top of the World, 28 switchbacks designes so that a jeep goes forward up one leg, backward up the next, then forward again. It's too tight to make the turn in a 4-wheel vehicle, and not KLRable, in my opinion. In fact, I attempted it on a DR350 that was a balky starter at the altitude; as a result, I ran out of wind and was unable to complete the ride. I want to go back with an electric-start bike. Beyond that, there is a lot of BLM land and a lot of forest roads in the area.

[The Yeti]

Hope that helps you out Yeti.

Oh, I totally understand, I just think it's sad that in today's world, people in the medical field have to cover their ass before providing the care that they were trained to provide. I'm not blaming you for that decision, I know it's just the way things are. Thanks for explaining it in such detail.