Day 120 July 26th

Today was spent preparing to fly home tomorrow. I am flying home for two weeks to see my wife and help out around the business. Jerry's wife is flying out to Missoula and she and Jerry are going to travel around the area visiting Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
So we are taking vacations from our vacation. Bikes and trailers are in storage awaiting our return on Aug. 10th. WWR2014 will resume then. There will probably be no updates until then.  Hope to see you back here then.

Day 119 July 25th

We are staying in Missoula for a few days so we did a local ride today to the National Bison Range. This preserve was established in 1908 when the wild bison population was down to a hundred or so animals. The bison have recovered to more than 250000 animals now. This preserve maintains a population of 4 to 5 hundred bison. Excess are sold or transferred to other locations. 

Short day with 144 miles traveled. 

Day 118 July 24th

Last evening Jason from Central Florida Powersports Showed up at the motel we were staying in along with the guys he was riding with. They had started in Denver and were heading to Glacier National Park on the mountain bike trails. Had dinner with ten. Good to see someone from home area.
Today we are riding to Missoula through the Big Hole area. We stopped at the Big Hole Battlefield and while we were there Wolfgang and Michaela showed up. They are from Germany and riding from Anchorage to Argentina. We had camped beside them in Dawson City Yukon back on Day 78 June 13th. Was amazing to run into them this far out in Montana. These kind of meetings have happened a few times on this trip. Small world.
We have visited a few of the Nez Perce indian battlefields. Seems like they got some unfair treatment each time gold was found on their lands.
Finished the day in Missoula.  High temp today was 72 degrees.
198 miles traveled.

Wolfgang and Michaela from Germany

Day 117 July 23rd

We left Bozeman this morning and rode a nice back road to Virginia City MT. Virginia City came in to being when gold was found there in 1863.  Population exploded and it became the capital of the Montana Territory. Lots of gold came from this area and when it played out the town died. There are quite a few old buildings that have been saved and it was interesting wandering around the town.
Continued on to Dillon for the night.
Only 125 miles ridden today.

Day 116 July 22nd

When we rode over Beartooth pass yesterday it was cloudy and drizzly rain. So we decided to ride it again today in clear sunny conditions.  It was worth the second ride. After riding the pass we continued on through the northwest entrance to Yellowstone and throughout the park exiting the north entrance. We saw lots of bison, a black bear and elk were all over at the visitor area at north end. They most like the clover growing in the developed area.
Continued up hwy 89 to Bozeman MT for the night.
265 miles today with a little rain at end of ride.

Day 115 July 21st

We rode down 212 to Beartooth Pass today. This was one of the most scenic rides that we have had on this trip. Summit was at 10947 feet. Awesome views and lots of snow still around. If ever in this area be sure to do this road. Described as the most beautiful drive in America by Charles Kuralt.

We took hwy 296 back towards Billings and the ride down off of the mountains was very good also.
Temps today from low of 55 to 86 degrees.
248 miles today.

Day114 July 20th

Rode from Sheridan WY to Billings MT the long way around. First part of ride was over the Bighorn Mountains. Crossed summit at 9400 feet. Saw a little snow left at the top. Really pretty area.
Down the west side was like dropping into the desert. Got into the Crow Tribe reservation. Lots of range area changing into farmland. Came out at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Took a bus tour there. Site of General Custer's last stand.Interesting place.
On to Billings from there. Temperatures got up to 100 degrees today.
We rode 317 miles today.

Day 113 July 19th

Rode to The Devil's Tower this morning. Nice ride on why 34/24 into WY. The Devil's Tower is a huge rock formation in middle of nowhere. They landed on it in the movie Close Encounters. There were climbers on the rock in a couple of different locations.
Left there and rode to Sheridan WY. We were on a two lane road for a little over  100 miles. Passed 1 semi, 1 pickup. 4 cars and a dozen motorcycles. Least number of vehicles  I have seen in a hundred miles. Hot today.
235 miles today.

Day 112 July 18th

Today we ride down to visit the Crazy Horse Monument. This monument was started in 1948 as a privately funded project. The face is done and a lot of rock has been blasted out for the remainder. It is supposed to look like the white model when done. Considering the time to get to this point not sure when it will be completed. What is done is very impressive.
Next we visited Mt Rushmore. Mt Rushmore was done between 1927 and 1941. Amazing piece if work.
Some of the back roads we rode on today were among the best twisty M/C roads we have been on. Especially liked 16a through Custer State Park.
218 miles covered today.