I had the privilege of joining Allan (Suzsmokeyallan) and Allen (h2okettle, AKA Iron Butt Allen) on this adventure, together with my good friend Jason, who also happens to be a talented photographer as the pictures show. Our leg of the journey began in Grand Rapids, MI, heading North into the upper peninsula then West through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota & Montana where we met up with the group (on their way from Alberta down to Florida). Over the next couple days we rode together back through Montana, then Wyoming & South Dakota before Jason & I split off for home via Chicago.
Just North of the Mackinac Bridge
Pulling into a full campground our 1st night the owner was kind enough to let us pitch tents in the baseball field, then in the morning insisted on doing a photo session with our bikes and ended up posting a story about our trip on the campground's facebook page. Good guy. The 'coffin' tents and cooking equipment are a result of Jason's hiking experience and were a welcome change from my usual go-to road trip meals (banana & peanut butter sandwiches).
2nd night at Indian Mounds Resort in Ashby, Minnesota. Again full so we were placed in a grassy spot immediately at water's edge. Truly a hidden paradise in the middle of nowhere.
The badlands inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Jason's Bonneville is vintage-inspired and it was fun each time someone stopped him to say they had one just like that in the '60's, though he always found a kind way to mention it was really an '02.
Our 3rd night outside Wolf Point, MT, a rough town. Arriving after dark it wasn't until morning we realized the building we camped next to had been abandoned for years. We were taken back by the poorness of most of Montana; with sporadic Native American reservations that more resembled ghost towns separated by large expanses of wasteland and few work opportunities.
Entering the Rocky Mountains at Glacier National Park in Western Montana.
The following 2 nights were spent at this mountainside cabin (a welcome reprieve from the tents) while we explored Glacier.
A very cold swim in the mountain snow fed Lake McDonald
Hiking deeper into the mountains
Scenic 'Avalanche Lake'
Riding up "Going to the Sun Road" toward the pass
Near Logan Pass
The morning after meeting up with the group: Jason photographing followed by Allen on his RD350LC, Allan on his '76 GT750, and me on my '75 GT750. I was quite impressed by how well Allen's small-displacement Yamaha did all loaded up going through the mountains, not to mention it carried him all the way from Florida to Montana and back!
Entering Mt. Rushmore, where we separating from the group to head for home
All said and done Jason & I covered 4,300 miles on our old bikes over 9 days. His used a lot of oil & mine needed occasional points/condensers work but it was all part of the experience. A few hundred miles from home the old buffalo's right cylinder began intermittantlly cutting out and when it became unbearable I reached down, removed the plug cap, and rode the remaining 100 miles on 2 cylinders. Investigating the cause will be a winter project but reconnecting the cap once home the bike immediately fired up on all 3. I am continually amazed by what the old GT's can do.
The trip was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm glad to have had the pleasure of time spent with friends.