bigjohnsd
'21 R1250 GS Adv
Started the season with a big loop over the Bighorns and planned on finishing the season the same way.
My plan on 11/3/2020 - I'll go in the reverse direction this time, Spearfish slab to Gillette, Ucross via 14/16, Buffalo, Ten Sleep, Greybull, Shell Canyon, Sheridan, Buffalo, Spearfish (finishing via 90 from Sheridan as it will be late and the critters will likely be out) 10 Hrs - 600 miles - an early start:
Spotwalla Link https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=24db35fa20279d514e&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes
What a ride, what a great day.
Relive Video Added after timely help from Relive Support Desk
Click anywhere on the Image above and the Video will run.
It was 48F when I departed Spearfish at 0630 just before sunrise. Between Spearfish and my first stop for Breakfast in Buffalo, WY I saw a low temp of 28F. The temperature variability was quite interesting, as altitude increased from 3850 to 4500 ft the temperature swung between 28F and 51F, and when I arrived in Buffalo, WY at 0945 for Gasoline and Breakfast it was 61F.
First view of the Bighorns about 40 miles away.
Stopped in Buffalo, WY at "The Fix" at 0930 for a Great Breve and Basque Ham Sandwich (Toasted Croissant/Spanish Ham/Sharp Cheese) was excellent.
As I rode up into the Bighorns on US-16 the temp started to drop until I got to the top of the pass.
Those that have made this trip with me before have likely heard my "**** Stripe Warning". The "**** Stripe" is the result of effluent spilling out of cattle trucks moving the herds. Most common in spring and fall, when it dries it is like riding on Talcum Powder. The worst is when there is a left/right or right/left set of bends and the "**** Stripe" crosses the lane at just about the point you are making the transition from one turn to the other. Seat puckers are likely. Today was both a bad **** Stripe and just a little sand here-and-there day at the higher elevations, not confidence-inspiring but we persevered. My picture above tries to reflect the "**** Stripe" but it didn't come out very well.
At the top of Cloud Peak Skyway, it was windy as hell and the temp was 43F.
As I dropped down into Ten Sleep the temperature continued to rise back up to 61F.
After Ten Sleep I turned towards Mandeville WY
The temperature varied a little as I headed North to Greybull.
At Greybull, WY the temp was 59F and it continued to rise as I headed East on US-14 into Shell Canyon.
Shell Canyon is the Dark Notch at the top center of the picture just above the three bushes.
As I entered the canyon an idiot on some kind of a loud V-twin Bobber with Tall Apes pulled out directly in front of me, I swerved left around him as he poured on the coal to try and stay ahead. That lasted about 200 yards until the 25 mph corner. Lots of rocks on the road in the lower Shell Canyon made for an interesting trip.
At the Top, it was beautiful and still in the '50s despite the snow on the ground.
A 1300 stop for gas and a Maverick Bahama Dog in Sheridan, WY at about mile 400.
My actual route varied just a bit from my plan. I much prefer US 14/16 from Gillette, WY to Ucross then to either Buffalo or Sheridan depending upon where I'm going. Today I had planned to ride I-90 from Sheridan back to Spearfish to avoid four-legged creatures in the dark. I was early enough that I decided to take the two-lane road and enjoyed it going both directions though I did have to brake hard to avoid a group of four antelope that bolted across in front of me on the way home (Antelope don't usually run across the road and you seldom see dead antelope alongside the road) these four apparently didn't get the message.
Home right at Sunset
I had trouble with my old Olympus handheld camera all day. At first, the cold caused the battery to show depleted and my sunrise pictures never made it. Then the damn thing would start and immediately stop whenever I turned it on. It worked periodically if I kept it in my jacket pocket where it could feel the heat. The buttons are too close together to operate easily with gloves on. I'm in the market for a replacement.
Electric Gear - today would not have been possible without my Gerbing Electric Jacket and Gloves. When the temperature got down into the '20s the jacket and gloves were on High as were Freya's Heated Grips. The Heated Jacket and Gloves came off in Sheridan and I enjoyed the '70's and high '60s all the way home.
My plan on 11/3/2020 - I'll go in the reverse direction this time, Spearfish slab to Gillette, Ucross via 14/16, Buffalo, Ten Sleep, Greybull, Shell Canyon, Sheridan, Buffalo, Spearfish (finishing via 90 from Sheridan as it will be late and the critters will likely be out) 10 Hrs - 600 miles - an early start:
Spotwalla Link https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=24db35fa20279d514e&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes
What a ride, what a great day.
Relive Video Added after timely help from Relive Support Desk
Click anywhere on the Image above and the Video will run.
It was 48F when I departed Spearfish at 0630 just before sunrise. Between Spearfish and my first stop for Breakfast in Buffalo, WY I saw a low temp of 28F. The temperature variability was quite interesting, as altitude increased from 3850 to 4500 ft the temperature swung between 28F and 51F, and when I arrived in Buffalo, WY at 0945 for Gasoline and Breakfast it was 61F.
First view of the Bighorns about 40 miles away.
Stopped in Buffalo, WY at "The Fix" at 0930 for a Great Breve and Basque Ham Sandwich (Toasted Croissant/Spanish Ham/Sharp Cheese) was excellent.
As I rode up into the Bighorns on US-16 the temp started to drop until I got to the top of the pass.
Those that have made this trip with me before have likely heard my "**** Stripe Warning". The "**** Stripe" is the result of effluent spilling out of cattle trucks moving the herds. Most common in spring and fall, when it dries it is like riding on Talcum Powder. The worst is when there is a left/right or right/left set of bends and the "**** Stripe" crosses the lane at just about the point you are making the transition from one turn to the other. Seat puckers are likely. Today was both a bad **** Stripe and just a little sand here-and-there day at the higher elevations, not confidence-inspiring but we persevered. My picture above tries to reflect the "**** Stripe" but it didn't come out very well.
At the top of Cloud Peak Skyway, it was windy as hell and the temp was 43F.
As I dropped down into Ten Sleep the temperature continued to rise back up to 61F.
After Ten Sleep I turned towards Mandeville WY
The temperature varied a little as I headed North to Greybull.
At Greybull, WY the temp was 59F and it continued to rise as I headed East on US-14 into Shell Canyon.
Shell Canyon is the Dark Notch at the top center of the picture just above the three bushes.
As I entered the canyon an idiot on some kind of a loud V-twin Bobber with Tall Apes pulled out directly in front of me, I swerved left around him as he poured on the coal to try and stay ahead. That lasted about 200 yards until the 25 mph corner. Lots of rocks on the road in the lower Shell Canyon made for an interesting trip.
At the Top, it was beautiful and still in the '50s despite the snow on the ground.
A 1300 stop for gas and a Maverick Bahama Dog in Sheridan, WY at about mile 400.
My actual route varied just a bit from my plan. I much prefer US 14/16 from Gillette, WY to Ucross then to either Buffalo or Sheridan depending upon where I'm going. Today I had planned to ride I-90 from Sheridan back to Spearfish to avoid four-legged creatures in the dark. I was early enough that I decided to take the two-lane road and enjoyed it going both directions though I did have to brake hard to avoid a group of four antelope that bolted across in front of me on the way home (Antelope don't usually run across the road and you seldom see dead antelope alongside the road) these four apparently didn't get the message.
Home right at Sunset
I had trouble with my old Olympus handheld camera all day. At first, the cold caused the battery to show depleted and my sunrise pictures never made it. Then the damn thing would start and immediately stop whenever I turned it on. It worked periodically if I kept it in my jacket pocket where it could feel the heat. The buttons are too close together to operate easily with gloves on. I'm in the market for a replacement.
Electric Gear - today would not have been possible without my Gerbing Electric Jacket and Gloves. When the temperature got down into the '20s the jacket and gloves were on High as were Freya's Heated Grips. The Heated Jacket and Gloves came off in Sheridan and I enjoyed the '70's and high '60s all the way home.