Montana, never been, what to expect?

I am making plans to ride to the 2015 rally in Montana and probably traveling alone. I consider myself a seasoned traveler, having spent 28 years as an over the road trucker, most of my driving being on the East coast. However, there is as much difference in trucking and motorcycling as there is night and day. I rode to Sedalia, MO solo in 2012, thru the stifling heat and was able to survive that with proper hydration. I plan to camp along the way. What advice would you seasoned riders give me traveling from Kansas to Montana?

Don't waste a lot of time getting there. Get to Montana and spend time exploring the western and northern part of the state. Wyoming is worth a visit as you get near the big horn mountains. You will find that Bilings is not the most attractive part of the state.

2bikemike said:

I am making plans to ride to the 2015 rally in Montana and probably traveling alone. I consider myself a seasoned traveler, having spent 28 years as an over the road trucker, most of my driving being on the East coast. However, there is as much difference in trucking and motorcycling as there is night and day. I rode to Sedalia, MO solo in 2012, thru the stifling heat and was able to survive that with proper hydration. I plan to camp along the way. What advice would you seasoned riders give me traveling from Kansas to Montana?

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Watch out for the free-range cattle in Wyoming. <grin>

You could spend a lot of time getting there.
That is by riding into western Colorado, and all around. Then also into Utah and all around the southern portion of Utah.
Then up to Idaho, and all around Idaho, then into Montana from the north west.
Then all around western Montana, and finally into Billings.
Time permitting, that's the way I would go up there, but starting from here, rather than Kansas.
dc

Oh, I think you should expect better scenery than Kansas. And you will get it too.

In a nutshell...expect to enjoy !!! Beautiful state...and IMO some nice folks.

For me to try & describe it too you...would be like trying to take an accurate picture of the Grand Canyon...ya really can't do it justice.

As was noted...watch out for animals & if ya see gas---buy it. It might be a long distance to the next station.

I would strongly suggest you enter Yellowstone Park from the south, and ride up and exit at the north. If you have time, spend 1 or 2 days in Yellowstone. It is a fantastic park.

Although your responses are terrific, I should have been more specific. I do not have a definite route yet but,

1. What kind of riding conditions can I expect in mid July from Kansas to Denver?

2. Denver up thru Wyoming into Billings?

roborider said:

I would strongly suggest you enter Yellowstone Park from the south, and ride up and exit at the north. If you have time, spend 1 or 2 days in Yellowstone. It is a fantastic park.

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Any particular reason why?

2bikemike said:

Although your responses are terrific, I should have been more specific. I do not have a definite route yet but,

1. What kind of riding conditions can I expect in mid July from Kansas to Denver?

You can expect this to be the most boring part of the ride. Flat and dry. In July it will be very hot on this stretch and would recommend riding at night....I hate the heat.

2. Denver up thru Wyoming into Billings?

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The ride up from Denver to the Wyoming border is almost like being in a suburb of Denver. Traffic can be bad, but once you clear Fort Collins it starts to clear out and you begin to feel like your in Colorado, but that is short lived because once you cross the border it gets flat and from Cheyene to Casper it is an absolute bore as well. Don't get me wrong it is desolate and beautiful but it is flat. Weather wise it could be comfortable to hot in July and August. In my trip to Alaska this year I went through Montana and Wyoming and the weather was in the low to mid 80s. Expect storms to pop up along the way. From Casper on up again it is flat and boring but the 80 mile an hour speed limit helps the time pass. It is the same all the way to Billings. Except when you hit Buffalo and Sheridan Wyoming. They sit at the base of the Big Horn range and I would suggest cutting across them to come into Billings from the backside up through Worland or Greybull on the 16 or 14 into the 310 on up to Billings. I have done this ride several times and it is boring but once you accept the beauty of the plains and travelling at 85-90mph you adjust. It can be hot so be prepared and the weather can change on a dime. But you will love it. It is lonely but so expansive.

2bikemike said:

Although your responses are terrific, I should have been more specific. I do not have a definite route yet but,

1. What kind of riding conditions can I expect in mid July from Kansas to Denver?

2. Denver up thru Wyoming into Billings?

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That's almost impossible to answer accurately. The last time I was out there [2008-9] ? , heading to Y/Stone [which is actually Wyoming] ..it snowed ! And that was on my B/Day,... the 22nd of June. We stopped short at Devils Tower, Houlette , WY..rode the next day heading back east to Deadwood,SD in spitting snow, sleet & cold. A few years earlier in [2001] in Missoula,MO it was hot! as all hell...at just about the same time of year [16th-18th] ?? of June. So it really is very hard to say.

Let me try again.
Kansas to Denver. Straight, flat, and boring. Make it like taking a band-aid off a hairy arm. Quick. One quick motion.
Denver to Billings. The straight line has been described above.
My recommendation: go a different way.
West from Denver. Avoid Denver if possible. Avoid any large metro or even mid sized metro area if possible.
West from Denver, then south. Yes, you know Billings is to the north, but if you go south you will find ... excellent motorcycling conditions. Then meander further west and north west til you are west of Billings. Then approach Billings from the west.
It is a conundrum. A pair of docs. Go south and go west to get to the east (Billings). But try it. You may find excellent motorcycling conditions. Remember you only live once. You only make this trip once. Therefore, make the most out of it possible.
As to weather, could be good or bad. Like described above.
Expect some rain.
Try to make the trip as many days as possible. You may never be back there.
Go to the website for Butler motorcycle maps. Get some of those maps. Then add in as many good looking well known scenic roads as possible.
dc

David13 said:

Let me try again.
Kansas to Denver. Straight, flat, and boring. Make it like taking a band-aid off a hairy arm. Quick. One quick motion.
Denver to Billings. The straight line has been described above.
My recommendation: go a different way.
West from Denver. Avoid Denver if possible. Avoid any large metro or even mid sized metro area if possible.
West from Denver, then south. Yes, you know Billings is to the north, but if you go south you will find ... excellent motorcycling conditions. Then meander further west and north west til you are west of Billings. Then approach Billings from the west.
It is a conundrum. A pair of docs. Go south and go west to get to the east (Billings). But try it. You may find excellent motorcycling conditions. Remember you only live once. You only make this trip once. Therefore, make the most out of it possible.
As to weather, could be good or bad. Like described above.
Expect some rain.
Try to make the trip as many days as possible. You may never be back there.
Go to the website for Butler motorcycle maps. Get some of those maps. Then add in as many good looking well known scenic roads as possible.
dc

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Thanks for your input. As for Butler maps, I already have the western states from them...they excite me.

Occurs to me that you perhaps are asking a different question than we are answering in this thread. You are an Easterner, no? Driven a big rig, but mostly in the eastern third of the USA. If you have not driven, or ridden, a lot in the Great Plains or in the Rockies, then you might be, appropriately enough, a tad anxious. Much like I get when I have to go back east. I would almost rather stick my arm in a meat grinder than ride anywhere east of the Appalachians. I know it's unreasonable to be so anxious about it, but there you are.

Here are some very general suggestions:
(1) expect any kind of weather, and expect it to change drastically with little notice.
(2) expect long vistas and lots of openness and, if you can avoid large towns, expect relatively few people.
(3) Folks you meet--even the ones with pistols strapped on their belts--will likely be friendly and eager to talk to you ... if you let them.
(4) Don't be afraid, unless it's dark and there is liquor involved.
(5) When you see gas, buy it (already been suggested).
(6) Eat in places with unfamiliar names (avoid franchises and chain eateries).
(7) When you see three or more vehicles stopped alongside the road, consider joining them; they likely have something neat to either show you or tell you about. Only two vehicles? One is broken down and the other is assisting.
(8) The Rally is in late July; don't stick around the area for long or you will get consumed by the Sturgis crowd. If you want to sight-see in the area do it before the BMW Rally.

Climate for Billings:

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/montana/billings/

It usually chills off at night in the high country, even after a warm day and can get downright chilly, down to 40F or so.

Speeds are higher out west and there are some large critters loose on the range, so plan to do most of your traveling in daylight hours.

Harry

Wind. Be prepared to ride in sustained winds of 20-30 MPH and with gusts higher still. Prevailing winds are from the NW meaning a cross wind if you are heading East to West. You may very well not see these sort of winds in the summer, but it is possible.

royce said:

Occurs to me that you perhaps are asking a different question than we are answering in this thread. You are an Easterner, no? Driven a big rig, but mostly in the eastern third of the USA. If you have not driven, or ridden, a lot in the Great Plains or in the Rockies, then you might be, appropriately enough, a tad anxious. Much like I get when I have to go back east. I would almost rather stick my arm in a meat grinder than ride anywhere east of the Appalachians. I know it's unreasonable to be so anxious about it, but there you are.

Here are some very general suggestions:
(1) expect any kind of weather, and expect it to change drastically with little notice.
(2) expect long vistas and lots of openness and, if you can avoid large towns, expect relatively few people.
(3) Folks you meet--even the ones with pistols strapped on their belts--will likely be friendly and eager to talk to you ... if you let them.
(4) Don't be afraid, unless it's dark and there is liquor involved.
(5) When you see gas, buy it (already been suggested).
(6) Eat in places with unfamiliar names (avoid franchises and chain eateries).
(7) When you see three or more vehicles stopped alongside the road, consider joining them; they likely have something neat to either show you or tell you about. Only two vehicles? One is broken down and the other is assisting.
(8) The Rally is in late July; don't stick around the area for long or you will get consumed by the Sturgis crowd. If you want to sight-see in the area do it before the BMW Rally.

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A bit anxious? You bet. Although I don't fear traveling alone, being left to my own devices 2500 miles from home certainly gives me concern. It's no big deal for me to ride say to Pennsylvania and not have one single concern. For some reason, being 2500 miles away, red flags go up. But, I'm looking forward to going. Thanks for your input.

royce said:

(3) even the ones with guns strapped to their belts--will likely be friendly

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Actually, most of these will be the nicest people you will ever meet. The anti gun people are usually the ones to avoid.

I notice that, too.
I stopped in Idaho along a country road for a few minutes. An old guy in an old pick up truck stopped and parked in the road beside me.
We leaned on the back of the pick up and talked for 15 minutes.
You are never really alone out there. If I would have needed anything out there that guy would probably have spent the day helping me get there.
But that happens anywhere.
Here in rural California a guy with a pick up and a trailer stopped on the wrong side of the road at a stop sign to talk to me. (No traffic out there, one car every 10 or 15 minutes.)
When I said I was low on gas, he directed me to his house a mile away and gave me a gallon. He insisted on it and refused money.
Along that same road, a lady was coming out of her house. I stopped to talk and after half an hour I had to tear myself away. She would gladly have talked all afternoon.
That's always the way it is. Mostly in the rural areas, tho.
Or other bikers. Almost all the other bikers will talk to you and help you.
Most particularly the Harley guys. We make fun of them and all that, but the vast majority of them would give you the shirt off their back.
You also have your anonymous book.
I feel better out there than I do here in the city.
dc

I'll confirm what Ron and David and others have said. Even though it's July, plan for riding in both heat and possibly even cold. Pay attention to the elevation of whatever route you choose will take you. I was out touring western Montana in June about 15, maybe 20 now, years ago and as I traveled higher and higher in elevation, it started to snow, and then it snowed HARD, and then when I dropped back down in elevation it was very comfortable again. One local told me that a few years prior, it snowed for 14 months straight.

And I agree how friendly the people were- maybe the most friendly I've ever encountered in the U.S.
Here in the Northeast it seems strangers look at you funny if you strike up a conversation, seemingly wondering "why is this guy suddenly starting to talk to me, what's really on his mind?" Sad, really sad.

Voni and I used to live in Kansas and now live in Texas, and have ridden to Montana probably 20 or more times. My advice is don't go exactly that way - Kansas to Denver that is. If you decide to go out to Denver, take US36 across the north or US 50 across the center of Kansas. Avoid I-70. There is no need to take the interstate, even to "make time". The 2 lanes are excellent roadways.

I would go north and then west across Nebraska or South Dakota. I would visit the Black Hills in South Dakota, then go through the Bighorn Mountains in east central Wyoming west of Buffalo (Ten Sleep Canyon) or Sheridan (Shell Canyon).

Then northish to Billings from Cody, or go to Yellowstone and then backtrack out the Northeast gate at Cooke City and up over Bear Tooth Pass.

I have seen frost in Yellowstone in July. Rain - sometimes. Windy - yes. Thunderstorms usually move through quickly for travel east to west. Sit it out for an hour and often the way is then dry. Heading back east you can get in a "system" and stay with it for a day or more. You won't outrun it. Leave time to layover a day to get behind it.

You will be riding places where the speed limit is mostly 65 or 70. Towns are few and far between. While we will sosmetimes pass towns without buying fuel it is true you should gas early and often. When in doubt, get fuel early. Know the range of your motorcycle and don't press your luck. It is hard to tell the size of the town from the map.

Don't expect constant or reliable cell phone coverage. There will be vast expanses where regardless of what the cell phone company's pretty little map shows you won't have a signal. In towns usually. Between towns maybe sometimes. Even on the intertstates it will be spotty. Purely for example when we last came across Nebraska the only places we found AT&T coverage was Omaha and Lincoln.

Much of the great plains lacks commercial campgrounds and those that exist tend to be gravel lots for RVs. We have found the best camping in many, many small town city parks.