eemsreno
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This trip was taken the first 11 days of August 2010. I wasn’t riding a Super Tenere yet since I can’t have it UNTIL MAY !!!!!, but I am on a Yamaha, as a matter of fact I have always ridden Yamahas. From our honeymoon to Yellowstone in 1980 on an XS1100 (which I still ride every day to work unless it is snowing, like it is right now) to YZ motocross bikes, at last count I have over 10 Yamahas in the garage. I used to tell everyone I could get a new bike when the 1100 wears out, but after 32 years of going strong, 181,000 miles, I am getting a new Super Tenere anyway. Make no mistake Yamahas are built to last.
Now to the trip report.
When this trip finally became a reality and we were on the road leaving southeast Iowa there were 10 of us on 6 bikes. We made it very clear to everyone going that we would be riding HARD, long days in the saddle, and even eating out of the tank bag sometimes. We only had 11 days and wanted to see as much of the country as possible. I really didn’t think all 10 of us would finish a grueling trip like this.
My wife, Michelle, had never ridden a 1000 mile day so one of our goals was to make sure she got her grand’s worth. We were a day or 2 ahead of the official start of the Sturgis Rally so we rode through there and got out of town fast, what a mess that was. We ended the first day setting up camp before dark in the Big Horn mountains with 1040 miles on the meter. While pitching the tent I over heard Michelle telling our son, Eric, that she could have kept right on riding for a couple hundred more miles. (Not me, I was shot).
Camping for free in the National Forest was what we liked best.
The second day we would ride through Red Lodge, Montana to Yellowstone over the Bear Tooth Highway. That has to be one of the best motorcycle roads in the USA. Yellowstone will always be my favorite place being our honeymoon stomping grounds 30 years ago, but it was very crowded and slow going.
This was when there were still 10 of us with Pilot Peak in the background.
This is my beautiful wife on the Bear Tooth Highway.
The third day would turn out to do a lot of changes to the trip. A friend and his son would head for home after getting sick. Also the 2010 Harley would have a bearing go out in the tranny. Mike was able to limp it back to Iowa and get it repaired there. He told me later when he took it in for repair, he told them he left home with 5 Yamahas and he is the only one that broke down. He is still ticked about that. That left 7 of us on 4 bikes. We ended up being very compatible, riding hard, and had an awesome trip.
This is Dakota and Shelby on their FZ1. Notice the trailer hitch with no trailer. The home made trailer didn’t work out at the last second so he threw a bag under Shelby and a big duffle bag in his lap and took off with us. I didn’t think they would last more than a day, but they made the whole 6400 miles without 1 complaint. This was their first motorcycle trip. I don’t think it will be their last. Notice the big tank he made with a tank bag on top of that, He couldn't even see his speed o. I don't need to tell you how fast we went every time he was leading.
The next few days would see us riding through Glacier National Park, crossing the border into Canada, going to Waterton Lakes, up to Banff, and the Ice Field Parkway up to Jasper before we would head south again back to the US.
Entering Canada
Glacier Park
Icefield Parkway
Eric in Canada
Once back into Washington state we went through North Cascade National Park to the very northwest corner of the US, Cape Flattery. We followed the coastal highway all the way through Washington, and most of Oregon before heading inland to Crater Lake.
Deception Pass to the Puget Sound
Cape Flattery One of my favorite spots
Crater Lake, Scott was our official camp fire boy
Another free camp
This is how you bathe when you camp for free
We were running short on time but we figured while we were out here we had to go see the California Redwoods. So it was back to the coast and down the Avenue of the Giants.
On day 9 of our vacation we came to an intersection of highway 36 in northern California and when we came to a stop I told the boys, “When we turn onto this highway it will officially end our vacation” Wondering why, I told them this will be the first time in 9 days we have actually headed east. I think it took the wind out of their sails, thinking that we have to go home and back to work.
Thanks for reading
Now to the trip report.
When this trip finally became a reality and we were on the road leaving southeast Iowa there were 10 of us on 6 bikes. We made it very clear to everyone going that we would be riding HARD, long days in the saddle, and even eating out of the tank bag sometimes. We only had 11 days and wanted to see as much of the country as possible. I really didn’t think all 10 of us would finish a grueling trip like this.
My wife, Michelle, had never ridden a 1000 mile day so one of our goals was to make sure she got her grand’s worth. We were a day or 2 ahead of the official start of the Sturgis Rally so we rode through there and got out of town fast, what a mess that was. We ended the first day setting up camp before dark in the Big Horn mountains with 1040 miles on the meter. While pitching the tent I over heard Michelle telling our son, Eric, that she could have kept right on riding for a couple hundred more miles. (Not me, I was shot).
Camping for free in the National Forest was what we liked best.
The second day we would ride through Red Lodge, Montana to Yellowstone over the Bear Tooth Highway. That has to be one of the best motorcycle roads in the USA. Yellowstone will always be my favorite place being our honeymoon stomping grounds 30 years ago, but it was very crowded and slow going.
This was when there were still 10 of us with Pilot Peak in the background.
This is my beautiful wife on the Bear Tooth Highway.
The third day would turn out to do a lot of changes to the trip. A friend and his son would head for home after getting sick. Also the 2010 Harley would have a bearing go out in the tranny. Mike was able to limp it back to Iowa and get it repaired there. He told me later when he took it in for repair, he told them he left home with 5 Yamahas and he is the only one that broke down. He is still ticked about that. That left 7 of us on 4 bikes. We ended up being very compatible, riding hard, and had an awesome trip.
This is Dakota and Shelby on their FZ1. Notice the trailer hitch with no trailer. The home made trailer didn’t work out at the last second so he threw a bag under Shelby and a big duffle bag in his lap and took off with us. I didn’t think they would last more than a day, but they made the whole 6400 miles without 1 complaint. This was their first motorcycle trip. I don’t think it will be their last. Notice the big tank he made with a tank bag on top of that, He couldn't even see his speed o. I don't need to tell you how fast we went every time he was leading.
The next few days would see us riding through Glacier National Park, crossing the border into Canada, going to Waterton Lakes, up to Banff, and the Ice Field Parkway up to Jasper before we would head south again back to the US.
Entering Canada
Glacier Park
Icefield Parkway
Eric in Canada
Once back into Washington state we went through North Cascade National Park to the very northwest corner of the US, Cape Flattery. We followed the coastal highway all the way through Washington, and most of Oregon before heading inland to Crater Lake.
Deception Pass to the Puget Sound
Cape Flattery One of my favorite spots
Crater Lake, Scott was our official camp fire boy
Another free camp
This is how you bathe when you camp for free
We were running short on time but we figured while we were out here we had to go see the California Redwoods. So it was back to the coast and down the Avenue of the Giants.
On day 9 of our vacation we came to an intersection of highway 36 in northern California and when we came to a stop I told the boys, “When we turn onto this highway it will officially end our vacation” Wondering why, I told them this will be the first time in 9 days we have actually headed east. I think it took the wind out of their sails, thinking that we have to go home and back to work.
Thanks for reading
