2008 Ride to Yellowstone and surrounding area

I just got back from what may be the ride of a lifetime. RJ Vogelsberg and I rode to Cheyenne Wyoming, The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone National Park, and Red Lodge Montana. We had talked about this ride for a year or so but decided to go Monday afternoon. We left Marysville at 6:30 Tuesday morning. (Sort of last minute but we were both ready go to anytime)
The whole trip originated around Dennis Church who lives in Cheyenne Wyo. Dennis is a Union Pacific Engineer. RJ is a Union Pacific Engineer. Dennis runs his trains from Cheyenne to North Platte Nebraska. RJ runs his trains from Marysville to North Platte Nebraska. Both stay in the same railroad motel and have for 20 years. They both are avid hunters and became close friends years ago. (Some pictures of Dennis’s Trophy Room and his trophies from literally around the world.)

http://picasaweb.google.com/2007xl50/DennisChurchCheyenneWyoTrophyRoom

RJ and I rode the 500 + miles to Cheyenne and stayed at Dennis’s Tuesday night. Wednesday we rode the interstate and then the scenic route to Jackson Hole where we spent the night at The Ranch Inn.
Thursday we toured The Tetons and Yellowstone from a prospective few have seen it. Dennis has hunted the area for years. He has spent up to 4 or 5 days at a time walking and horseback riding thought the parks hunting Elk, Long Horned Sheep and Moose. (Probably a few species I’ve missed) His insight into the area and the knowledge of some back roads made a VERY interesting day. We had motel reservations at the Comfort Inn in Red Lodge Montana for the night. We checked in after 10:30 and after riding some 50 miles at 50 MPH avoiding deer and other critters.
Friday morning we headed back to Yellowstone by way of Bear Tooth Pass. There were so many things to see and do in that 67 miles we decided to skip the park and start back to Cheyenne. We took the long and scenic way but the beauty of that route was well worth the extra time. We ate dinner in Cody after noon and realized we had 400 miles go get home to Cheyenne and ½ of that was through the mountains. It was about 10:30 before we got back to Dennis’s.
RJ and I left Cheyenne Saturday morning around 7, I think and we got back to Marysville around 6.
We rode 500 miles per day for 5 days and every minute was cool!

Pics of the ride here.....

http://picasaweb.google.com/2007xl50/2008TripToYellowstone#