My Random Musings | Peaches Prattlings

{September 24, 2026} Day 14: 181.9 Miles, 3:30:28 Hours, 1 Country, 2 Provinces, 1 National Park, 5 Cities

Day 14 started liesurely enough, up about 730a, meeting for breakfast at 8a. And one of the wonderful things about status with a hotel chain, breakfast is included for everyone on the reservations. I booked a room for PSM, DJH, and myself, and PSM booked a room for VGT, so…we had breakfast for all!

We got down to the restaurant and tucked in for breakfast, started planning what’s going to happen after our bikes are done with their service appointments and there was a guy at the next table who was just a…let’s just say if we could have clobbered him with no consequences, we most definitely would have. He was incredibly rude to our server, who was just doing her job. He actually snapped his fingers at her to get her attention and then was crazy rude. It turns out, not only was he a tool…our server was back from being off a few days after having to put a beloved pet down, have some compassion dude, even if you don’t know what she’s going thru, which he didn’t. We tried to cheer her up and left a nice healthy tip, here’s hoping. I think you know how I feel about hotel and wait staff…I used to wait tables and I live in hotels, you have to be nice to the people who take care of you, c’mon!

Now it’s time to head to our respective dealerships, Calgary Harley-Davidson for DJH and VGT, literlly a 3 minute ride, and Indian Motorcycle of Calgary for us, about a 9 minute ride, both opening at 9am, no point in being there much earlier than the doors opening. We didn’t go to the Harley dealership, we were in our own toy store! It was a nice dealership, although, slightly confusing to find, because there was no sign at the street. This was actually Cycle Works Motorsports, to be exact, similar to other dealerships, Indian Motorcycle has their own side and entrance, the rest of the dealership has other things, Polaris, Vespa, 4-wheelers, adventure bikes, things like that.

We walked in when the opened the doors and went straight for the service desk, confirmed what they were going to do, handed the keys over, then went to have some fun!

We were in for the long haul, it was going to take a few hours to get our bikes serviced. We were getting a check-up, oil change, tires, which we needed having put about 5,000 miles on the bikes! We worked up a thirst and hunger, luckily, just around the corner was Éclair de Lune, a love French pastry shop. Isn’t it charming?! Don’t you love the colors of the macarons?! It’s hard to find vegan onces, dosen’t stop me from looking and smiling at the beauty of them!

Everyone at the dealership was so nice, and not just because they’re Canadian! Everyone from service, parts, sales, and on the Indian side, it seems to be a family business of sorts, Kim, I think that’s her name, she was in the Indian section and her sister took care of all transactions.

While we were there, we looked, drooled, tried on, talked, daydreamed, you name it, we entertained it! Since this is the 125th anniversary of Indian Motorcycle, we had to get anniversary dealer t-shirts, of course, even got one for my dad! We got bells bettern known as Guardian Bells [this is one of many sites you can find them]. The guardian bell or gremlin bell is hung on a motorcycle to trap evil road spirits and protect the rider from bad luck.

A little background: Legend and Purpose: Road Gremlins: Folklore says mischievous spirits latch onto motorcycles and cause mechanical problems or bad luck on the highway. Trapping Spirits: The constant ringing of the bell drives the gremlins crazy, trapping them inside until they lose their grip and fall off. Origin: The tradition traces back to World War II pilots who hung small bells to ward off evil spirits, a practice later adopted by post-war motorcyclists.

Rules of the Tradition: Must Be Gifted: You cannot buy a guardian bell for yourself; it only holds its protective power when given as a gift by a fellow rider or loved one. Placement: It should be mounted as low to the ground as possible on the motorcycle frame so gremlins trying to climb up hit it first. Selling a Bike: If you sell your motorcycle, remove the bell. The good luck stays with the rider, or the bell can be gifted to a new bike.

That’s a big one, you can’t buy the bell for yourself. Three years ago on our trip out west, DJH had a new bike, PSM and I bought him a bell at Silverton Harley Davidson, today,PSM and I bought each other a new bell for our bikes, we picked out what we wanted, but the other person had to physically pay for it! PSM bought a zip-up sweater, it reminds me of a letterman sweater! How very 50s of him, he looks adorable! I know, I’m biased! Now…the best purchase for me? Do you remember my ‘waterproof’ not waterproof boots? I have been looking for new motorcycle boots for over a year and guess what! Indian had them, and in my size! Aren’t they just the most?! Yes, I am spoiled by my husband…he bought them for me and I have been walking on air in them ever since!

When they were finally done with my bike, which was a little before PSM’s, he had a little more to get done on his, I went outside to head back to the hotel to load up my bike, ready to hit the road. And oh my word…look how shiny and beautiful she looks! They did an amazing job giving her a bath! I could see myself in the pipes!! Sorry, I can’t stop staring at her!

Back at the hotel, I grabbed all our gear from the hotel, loaded up my bike and hung out with the fully loaded card. One by one, they came back from the dealerships, loaded up, by now it’s close to 130p, my bike was ready about 1245p, but the rest still had stuff going on. Everyone was finally ready about 230p, DJH and VGT had to go to Walmart and PSM and I found a place for a late lunch, we were all Starvin’ Marvins!

We went to Moxies Barlow Restaurant for a lovely meal, good conversation and planning on our next steps for the afternoon and tomorrow. We are on our way to Kelowna, BC, we definitely won’t make it tonight, which we don’t have to, our reservation is for tomorrow. If you recall, we were supposed to be in Canmore, BC for 2 nights, but the smoke didn’t allow that to happen. So…We rode for about 4 hours, through Alberta, Canmore, Banff National Park, Columbia-Shuswap.

Riding through Alberta, BC. Love these overpasses with grass on them! Riding through Banff National Park. Riding through Columbia-Shuswap. It got a little smoky and cold!

Then through Stephen, and finally stopped in Golden, BC, tried 3 different hotels and finally got a room for all four of us at the Best Western Mountainview Inn. Two beds and a sofa, what more do you need?! See PSM’s new sweater, spiffy, huh?! HA HA. We got settled into the hotel, dropped our bags and rode over the the Raven & Pine Mountain Eatery for some dinner, it was 815p by now, we were tired and hungry, let’s eat, go back to the hotel, and crash!!!

Are you tired? I’m tired! I was tired from the very long day, you have to be tired from listening to me talk in this very long blog post! WordPress has a new feature, it’s a podcast feature, I’m thinking about letting it create a podcast, I listened to the first episode, it’s kind of cool, I’ll keep you posted on that! Right now, you’re tired, I’m tired, let’s say nite-nite, tomorrow there’s more Canadian adventures to be had!

Day 14: July 24 Relive

Day 14: 181+ Miles, 3+ Hours [Riding], 4+ Hours [at the dealership], Clean bikes, open roads, a National Park, tunnels, what more could you want?!

{September 23, 2026} Day 13: 277.3 Miles, 7:45:54 Hours, 1 Country, 2 Provinces, 4 Cities, and a lot of smoke

Day 13 started relatively early, up at 6, meeting at the bikes at 745a, breakfast at 8a. Bikes are loaded, lets get some grub bubs! We went to the restaurant attached to the hotel, Fire & Oak.

When we got there, we were the only ones in the joint, mostly because it was early, by the time we left, there were a few tables filled. Our waitress was great, the atmosphere was inviting, the decor was spot on, felt at home with the pics of motorcycles, and the food ended up being really great, only drawback…being the only ones in there, we thought it might move faster, but alas, it did not, but…we weren’t in the greatest hurry, so it worked out.

The funniest part, as we’re sitting there chatting and having breakfast, all these bikes are going by and DJH keeps looking longingly out the window, wistfully wishing he was going with them! Dude, in just a bit, we’re going to be on our bikes doing the same thing, it’s all good!

We finally got on the bikes and on our way. It was mostly clear when we started out, but unfortunately, as we rode on, we started to see the effects of the wildfires that were burning through the Pacific Northwest. Even before we reached Canada, we were seeing and feeling the effects in some of rhe areas of Colorado we were riding through, it was heart breaking.

On the Kootenay Hwy [can you see how smoky it is?]. I love riding over a bridge! It’s hard to see the mountains with all the smoke and haze from the fires.

It was time to take a break, get some petrol for the bikes, and fuel for our bodies. We stopped at the Big Horn Cafe in Radium Hot Springs, BC. It had just what we needed, hot beverages, warm pastries, a bathroom, and tables outside, what more could you want?!

We hung out for a bit, and as we’re sitting there, we’re seeing bikes go by, and PSM and I are noticing, we’re seeing a lot of Indian Motorcycles, even more when we went to get petrol. Let’s just say Indian Motorcycles, although wonderful and beautiful and we’re out there, to see that many outside of a rally or a meeting…is rare. We chatted with a rider at the gas station and it turns out they were there for the 7th annual Western Canada IMRG Celebration (WCIC) 2026! Looks like we need to add this event to our roster!

This event brings in riders from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Pacific Northwest! And of course, there’s an Eastern Canada IMRG Celebration as well. Adding to the list!

After we got back on the bikes, we headed towards Canmore, where we were going to stay at The Drake Inn, but as you can probably tell from the few pictures I included here, we couldn’t see much, the smoke was too thick, we were going to stop in Banff to walk around, that was a no-go, first, because we couldn’t find parking, and second, it was just too smoky to be enjoyable. We stopped at Smitty’s Family Restaurant, which was on the TransCanada Highway, which spans 4,860 miles across all ten provinces of Canada. That would be an interesting trip, take the TransCanada Highway from one end to the other, especially since it connects Victoria, BC on the Pacific Coast to St John’s Newfoundland, and Labrador on the Atlantic Coast!

Smitty’s Family Restaurant is both a restaurant and a cultural center, at least this location was, it seemed to be populated with a lot of locals, and even though it had high ceilings to give it an overwhelming feel, it still felt intimate and welcoming.

As we kept riding and got to Canmore, the smoke got thicker and thicker, it was affecting our breathing, PSM was really feeling it and when we got to The Drake Inn, the woman at the front desk was very kind to let us cancel our reservations because of the smoke and some of us were having issues breathing, we weren’t sure we would be able to stay there for two days comfortably.

One of the other reasons we were very glad they were able to cancel our reservation is we were all having our bikes serviced in Calgary the next day and from Canmore to Calgary was over an hour, and our appointments were first thing in the morning. That meant we would have to get up early, ride an hour plus to the dealerships, then sit there all day waiting for the bikes, then ride back the hour plus to the hotel. That did not sound like fun.

We ended up booking the Hampton Inn Calgary-Airport, which was perfect! 3 minutes to the Harley Davidson dealership and 10 minutes to the Indian Motorcycle dealership. We checked in, did laundry, ordered Chinese food, watched movies, and chilled out! We put close to 8 hours on the bikes, through the smoke, we were done, we needed to give ourselves a breather and a break. Tomorrow’s another day!

Two provinces, many miles, many hours, many Indian motorcycles, tomorrow…new tires and a check-up for all the bikes! And a lot of waiting around…

Day 13: July 23 Relive

Day 13: 277+ Miles, 7+ Hours, 2 Provinces, too much smoke. Tomorrow, another province, a national park, a shiny bike, and somewhat clear skies.

{September 16, 2026} Day 12: 354.4 Miles, 9:36:21 Hours, 2 Countries, 7 Cities, 2 National Parks, 1 Lake

Day 12 started early, 630am alarm to be exact, we have a long way to go and…get your passports ready kids…we’re going to Canadia! Yes, I know it’s Canada! I worked with someone from there who used to say Canadia and it stuck!

We’re going to Canada, but first…breakfast! Can’t go to another country on an empty stomach! So…we loaded up the bikes, loaded up the people and then went to the Laughing Grizzly Restaurant, Bar & Casino. It was close, the reviews were great, and supposedly the corn beef hash is very popular. We got in, got seated, it was crowded, a lot of Post Malone tshirts, a lot of college students! He had played the Washington-Grizzly Stadium, apparently it was part of the BIG ASS Stadium Tour Part 2, good on ’em. Our server was great! I know we’ve talked about good and bad servers before, but a good server can really make a meal. I wish I could remember our server’s name, but he was one of the good ones, thank you!

On the bikes, we rode through Wye, Polson, through Lakeside, Kalispell, Martin City, Coram, until we got to Glacier National Park!

Riding over a bridge in Polson. Riding through Lakeside. Riding past the Montana Vortex and House of Mystery.

Glacier National Park is a place that DJH, PSM, and I had been to in 2023, I don’t know if you remember me telling you about it back then…there was construction and I don’t mean a wee bit…there was NINE miles of dirt and gravel and we could only go about 5 miles an hour, if that. If you know me and my love of gravel you know I was miserable, but we survived! Thankfully, this trip was not like that!

This was VGT’s first time at Glacier and we were excited to share it with him because, the Going-to-the-Sun Road is 50 miles connecting West Glacier and St Mary and the highest point is Logan Pass at 6,646 feet. It can take about 2 hours without stopping, that is…if you are actually moving more than 2 miles an hour. One of the pluses 3 years ago, aside from the negative construction, was the timed entry. You had to sign up on recreation.gov to get timed entry for the Going-to-the-Sun Road. We had to do this for Cadillac Mountain in Maine, among others. The benefit is there are a limited number of tickets that you can get to cut down on the issues we faced…S L O W MOVING VEHICLES. We spent most of our time starting, stopping, inching, trying not to fall over on the bikes because we were going soooo slowly.

Even going back down it was excruciatingly slow. There were places we would have liked to have stopped to get pics, but everyone else had the same idea and there were no places to pull over. I’ll be honest, the scenery was amazing, but it was also exhausting. I would like to go another time when it’s not so crowded, not sure when that is. I asked a park ranger why they took away the timed entry and it was a bureaucratic answer that she had to give…

Riding through a tunnel. Can you feel how slow we were riding?! The videos don’t do it justice! Look at the snow on the side of the mountain! Green on both sides, snow above!

We rode out of Glacier looking for a place for lunch and ended up in Whitefish, at the edge of Glacier National Park in the Northern Rocky Mountains. We landed at the Bulldog Saloon, a bit bigger than a hole-in-the-wall type of plac,e but definitely a local hangout. There are bulldog pictures everywhere, college pennants and sports memorabilia, and the bathrooms were trippy!

The sign on the ladie’s room door had Notice: The men’s restroom and the first stall of the women’s restroom contain adult material. Please escort children to the second stall of the women’s restroom. Let’s just say, everything outside of the second stall was cheeky and one or two things could make you blush, but they were defintely funny!

Back on the bikes, riding through the Kootenai National Forest, located in the extreme northwest corner or Montana, bordered on the north by Canada and the west by Idaho, guess which one we were headed for?! Just before 7p we crossed the border into Canada! And Oh Canada was it a beautiful ride as we headed towards the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort in Cranbrook, BC.

Riding into Canada. Look at the mountains! Not a bridge over troubled waters!

We rode into the sunset, but got to the hotel just before, but don’t forget…this is the summer, sunset is about 9p/10p, we have time! It really was a beautiful sunset. Our goal tomorrow is Canmore, BC, which is in the province of Alberta! because the day after, we are getting our bikes serviced in Calgary!

For now friends, it is late and it’s time to crash! Do you see how close Eunice is to 30,000 miles?! I am sooo stoked! I will definitely be getting a picture of that!

We did a lot today! Gotta get some rest, tomorrow’s another grand adventure!

Day 12: July 22 Relive

Day 12: 354+ Miles, 9+ Hours, 2 Countries, 1 National Park, what more could you ask for!? Tomorrow…another province!

{September 15, 2026} Day 11: 355.9 Miles, 7:24:13 Hours, 5 Cities, 2 Lakes, and 1 Pass

Day 11: Get up, pack up, load the bikes, get breakfast, get on the road! Sounds so tedious! HA HA. Since breakfast wasn’t great yesterday, even though it’s included, we found a place while we were out walking last night to dinner.

We loaded up and headed to the Outpost Restaurant, our server served, but not much else. Do you ever get that feeling that your server wished they could be anywhere else in the world than standing in front of you? Do you see the one pic in the collage below ‘If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.’ Yeah, that was our server, we tried, but cracking a smile didn’t seem to be his jam, oh well….speaking of jam, I did buy a little jar of their huckleberry jam, it is sooo sweet, but you can only get it in some parts of the US and I wasn’t missing out! Small jar, you never know if you’re going to like it and one of the advantages of motorcycle travel…you only have so much room!

We headed out of West Yellowstone towards Missoula, MT. I just realized, well I probably realized it a long time ago, I should get commission from some places, I always add the web address for the place, hopefully it gives you an idea of where to go and what to do when you get there!

Look at that view!

We rode through Drummond, Bearmouth, and Lolo Hot Springs, all cities and towns in Montana. Looking at these websites for theses places makes me want to pull up a chair and stay a while! Especially in the winter! The images covered in snow, quiet and tranquil look amazing! We rode the Lolo Pass, unfortunately, the visitor center was closed, how do I get my patch, magnet, and sticker?! There are a few theories on how the Lolo Pass got its name, one of them is it’s a nickname or ‘corruption’ of a French name, like Laurence or Laurent and used by 18th or 19th century fur trappers. The Lolo Pass is along US Highway 12 on the Montana-Idaho border. Apparently there is a myth about the Montana-Idaho border, which you can check out here!

As we rode, we passed by Earthquake or ‘Quake’ Lake, which was formed August 17, 1959 when a massive 7.3 magnitude earthquake triggered a huget mountain landslide that dammed the Madison River! We also rode by Hebgen Lake, a scenic man-made reservoir, about 15 to 16 miles log and up to 4 miles wide, reaching a maximum depth of 70 feet, and sits at 6,240 feet abov sea level. Don’t you love learning something new every day?!

Riding by Hebgen Lake. Riding the Lolo Pass. Riding the Lolo Pass back. Highway 12.

I know what I haven’t told you, at least I don’t think I’ve told you… The orange bike is DJH, the black bike is VGT, the white bike is PSM, and my bike is the blue one, which you’ve seen Eunice before!

We stopped at the Bear Cave Bar & Grill, which is part of the Lolo Hot Springs Pools Resort. It was the perfect spot for a break, it wasn’t crowded, the staff was nice, the regulars looked like regulars, and the food was decent, exactly what we needed to take a breather!

Back on the bikes for more twists, turns, switchbacks, twist the wick, hammer down on the throttle to our next destination, the Baymont in Missoula, MT. Very glad we had a reservation because they were sold out, along with almost every other hotel in town. Felt bad because there were a few guys trying to get a room after being on the road for work and someone had messed up on their reservations. We found out the next day, there was a Post Malone concert, and he was joined by Jelly Roll and Carter Faith.

The rooms were comfortable and clean, this was one of the places that DJH stayed by himself, we both admitted it would be a little weird! He was going to miss my back scratching to wake him up! HA HA. No pool, but we could keep our bikes under the porte-cochere, don’t worry, I didn’t know what it was until just now! It’s basically the sheltered area outside the front door of the hotel that helps keeps vehichles protected from the elements and when we’re lucky, the hotels have let us keep our bikes there, to protect from potential rain.

After showers and a bit of a rest, we walked across the parking lot to Sean Kelly’s Stone of Accord Irish Pub! You know I love a good Irish Pub!!! The atmosphere was welcoming, the wait staff charming, the food delicious, he boys all had corned beef and cabbage and were not dissapointed, and Guinness for PSM, of course, happy fella! For me… they had sticky toffee pudding! Sticky Toffee Pudding is a gooey sponge cake drenched in warm toffee sauce. I discovered it on The Great British Bake Off, could have been before that, but…I finally found some when I was in Scotland and fell in love with it! I’ll be honest, it’s not always the easiest to make and sometimes I’ve had it when it tastes burnt, which ruins it, but this was grand!

Best part of the evening…walking back across the street to the hotel! No Uber, taxi, long walk, ride, just a nice liesurely stroll, up to our rooms, relax, maybe work on our Relive videos, and lights out!

Day 11: July 21 Relive

Day 11: 355.9 Miles, 7.24 Hours, 1 Pass, 2 Lakes, tomorrow…shhh..a surprise!

{September 10, 2026} Day 10: 259.5 Miles, 7.5 Hours, 2 States, 5 Cities, 2 National Parks, 1 National Forest, 1 Continental Divide, and 1 Waterfall

Day 10 started nice and liesurely! Why, you may be asking? Because we’re staying at the same hotel another night! Kind of a luxury on this trip, wouldn’t you say?! I think I mentioned that this is the kind of trip where we’re at a new hotel almost every night, so to be able to take it easy, get on the bike, not have to pack up and load the bikes, a treat!

We decided to meet for breakfast at the hotel. When we were there in 2023, we really enjoyed the breakfast, this time, not so much. And that’s ok, we’re here for the hotel, the location, not the breakfast. Oh, I completely forgot! Yesterday was when Spain won the World Cup!

Admittedly, I am not a futbol fan, even though I played in high school, it didn’t stick with me, but… I come from a futbol family! My dad played 4th grade through college at his alma mater, Guildford College in Greensboro, NC! My b-i-l played, and still does, my sister and I both played, and against the school our dad was a coach, both EJS and MGS play, and EJS is playing for Endicott College in Beverly, MA! I told you, I might not play or be a huge fan, I am a fan of my family and love to see them play!

I digress…we happened to have just come from the pool when the final match was on tv and everyone was rivited! Even if you aren’t a futbol fan, the World Cup swept everyone up in the excitement! I was swept up in the excitment as well! We watched the last 15 minutes with everyone else and saw Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time in South Africa to win it all! I will just say WOW!

Back to our regularly scheduled program…That was Day 9! Back to Day 10!

One of the things we realized was we had a little too much in the way of clothing and needed to lighten the load a bit! PSM and I had originally gotten riding pants that would work with all weather, which we decided to nix at the last minute. Since we had already packed and loaded the bikes, we didn’t feel like undoing all that work, so we just threw on another pair of jeans, that was one pair too many. We also had heated vests that we knew we wouldn’t need for more than maybe a day or two, if that, and as much as we might use them for those two days, they were puffy and take up a lot of room. PSM had a leather jacket that was definitely taking up too much room. The thing is, when you’re packing, even though you’re trying to pack as little as possible, you’re still trying to pack for all eventualities. DJH had a bunch of things he also wanted to send home.

So…first stop of the day… Post Office! 8:55a, loaded up the things we were shipping home, got on the bikes, shipped our items, felt lighter, and then we were off for another day of adventure!

We headed into Yellowstone and rode through to our first picture spot, the Continental Divide. The Continental Divide runs for about 115 miles through the southern and western portions of Yellowstone National Park, it separates the Pacific Ocean watershed from the Gulf of Mexico/Atlantic Ocean watershed. 37 sec video, 48 sec video

Next stop, Lewis Falls, While the falls are only 30 feet in height, the width of this waterfall is the full width of the river and is quite impressive. You can often see anglers casting their line just below the falls and from there downstream about 2 miles before the river enters the canyon. It was absolutely stunning, and peaceful, you could feel how much everyone enjoyed it. Doesn’t the sound of the water just fill you with peace and joy?

After a nice respite, back on the bikes and on to Grand Teton National Park. Have you ever wondered how Grand Teton got its name? Better yet, do you know what it translates to? The name Grand Teton comes from the French phrase les trois tétons, which translates to the three breasts or the three teats. In the early 19th century, French-Canadian and Iroquois fur trappers working for the North West Company named the prominent peaks after noticing their resemblance to female breasts. Ya loin’ something new every day! Grand Tetons…unreal!

Next stop…Jackson. I know, I know, you’re asking yourself, but JJ, isn’t it Jackson Hole, WY? Why no, no it’s not! I was schooled while we were there! Jackson is the main incorporated hub located at the southern end of the valley, famous for its elk antler arches at Jackson Town Square. While Jackson Hole is a 55-mile-long valley in western Wyoming framed by the Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges, serving as a premier gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Who knew!

The ride through the park was lovely, then we were stuck, and I mean stuck…to get to Jackson we were stuck in traffic trying to leave the park, we were probably sitting for about 30-45 minutes, maybe more, which is not fun by itself, but when you’re sitting on a bike that gives off heat, your calves are near the pipes, and it’s close to 100 degrees, well, I think you get the idea. We finally made it into Jackson and found parking, thankfully! and made our way to the Roadhouse Brewing Company. Ice waters all around for my friends!

After lunch it was time to head back to West Yellowstone. The ride was beautiful and moved a lot faster than getting to Jackson! And we rode through Caribou-Targhee National Forest, this country is just beautiful! When we got back, it was pool, relax, find some food. We went to a Mexican restaurant ant we didn’t really enjoy that much, so no mention here. Video: Ride through Caribou-Targhee National Forest

Back at the hotel, we hung out a bit by the firepit and planned tomorrow’s ride. What more could you ask for?!

Day 10: July 20 Relive

Day 10: 259.5 Miles, 7.5 Hours, Post Office, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, tomorrow…more of the good stuff!

{September 4, 2026} Day 9: 146.1 Miles, 6 Hours, 4 Cities, 1 National Park, Old Faithful

Day 9 started liesurely, I know crazy, right?! I told you PSM was catching up with us and we were going to meet today in West Yellowstone at the hotel, he spent the night in Billings, MT, which was only about 2 hours from where we were at the Comfort Inn Bozeman, he said if he had realized that, he would have joined us last night, go figure!

So…he got up early to head out to meet us, so that would be why we decided to start a little liesurely and we got a text at 945a from PSM “I am here.” You know what I did, right?! If you guessed that I jumped up, ran out the door, down the stairs, and out the front door of the hotel in my jammies and barefoot…you would be correct! One thing you may not know about me, I am a barefoot baby! If I can go barefoot, I will. Needlesss to say…that’s how PSM found me when I literally ran into him! Finally!

Back to the rooms to regroup, get dressed, pack up, take everything downstairs, load the bikes, load the riders, and take off! We headed to Tru North Cafe, it was charming inside and we got there just in time, I snagged a table before we ordered, good thing too! right after we ordered, the line was out the door! PSM and VGT had already eaten, so it was coffee for them and breakfast for DJH and I. Y U M!

We came out and there was a family admiring our bikes, they had 2 small kids and we offered for them to sit on the bikes, gotta love when they get on and get that look on their faces! We are definitely the type of bikers who will allow others to sit on our bikes, some aren’t like that! Never, and I mean never touch someone’s bike or sit on it without asking, that’s just rude! But if someone offers, if you’re game, go for it! Just like the woman we met in Hayes, KS, I’m happy to encourage anyone to get the biker bug!

Back on the bikes, petrol first, then vroom vroom, weeeee! We rode about an hour and we were at one entrance of Yellowstone National Park. PSM, DJH, and I had been there on our 3 week trip in 2023, but VGT had never been, score! And…DJH promised on this trip, we’re going to stop more and take pictures, so far, he’s held true to his word!

The first stop, Fumaroles, an opening in the Earth’s surface that releases hot steam and volcanic gases, oooh! an you see the steam? Thank goodness we weren’t close enough to smell the sulfur! And no…we did not coordinate our shirts, we all just wore something from the red family! 1.5 minute video, 5 minute video

Next, we stopped at the Old Faithful Visitor Center. Old Faithful si noe of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone and one of six that the park rangers currently predict! Isn’t that wild! And the reason it’s called Old Faithful? Becuase it errupts with high regularity and predictability! It is so predictable that there is a clock that tells you approximately when the next erruption will be! It errupts every 60 to 90 minutes, and let me tell you, the clock was spot on!

There were so many people gathered, ready for this natural phenomenon, it was set to go off about 10 minutes past 2p and wouldn’t you know it…they truly don’t call it Old Faithful for nutin’! It did not disappoint! There was something so magical about watching it errupt and the effect it had on everyone watching! Isn’t this spectacular?!

After watching Old Faithful with everyone else, we got patches, stickers, and I got my magnet, we headed back to the bikes to head to the hotel, the Kelly Inn, located in West Yellowstone. West Yellowstone is just outside the West Entrance to the park. We stayed at the Kelly Inn 3 years ago on our 3 week trip, we knew we wanted to stay there again.

I will tell you, this is not an inexpensive hotel, but definitely worth it, hence why we stayed here again this trip! This is also the only time we spend two nights in one location! I have to tell you, it’s nice not to have to pack up our stuff and load the bikes the next day! The hotel is charming, they have bear statues all over the property, including climing up the side of the buildings!

We unpacked, then took advantage of the hot tub and pool, regrouping to head out to dinner at a place everyone really loved the last time, Bullwinkle’s Montana Italian Steakhouse & Saloon. The service and the food did not disappoint the second time! We walked around a bit after dinner, the guys were in search of ice cream to cleanse the palate. Then we headed back to the hotel to relax and enjoy the firepits before turning in for the evening. Tomorrow, we’re just riding…

Day 9: July 19 Relive

Day 9: 146 Miles, 6 Hours, Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park! The views! Tomorrow…Grand Teton!

{September 2, 2026} Day 8: 369.7 Miles, 7.5 Hours, 2 States, 1 National Forest, 1 State Park, 6 Cities, 1 Amazing Pass

Day 8 started about 7am, load the bikes at 730a, breakfast right down the road at the Pony Expresso! Do you love it!? It was a drive through/walk up coffee/breakfast place with a sign on the door that says “STOP, Employees Only, try our walk up window to the right”…guess where the guys tried to go? VGT earlier for his first cup of coffee, next DJH when we walked up to get some food.

Did I mention that VGT is a bit of a coffee snob? Yeah, and he didn’t sleep that much on the trip, so…there were many mornings he would be up early and go in search of coffee, sometimes happy, sometimes not so much. So, we got breakfast, chatted about our upcoming ride, so excited, we’re going to ride Beartooth Pass!

Oh! I think I mentioned yesterday that it was also the Riveton Rendezvous Balloon Rally weekend, well, it definitely did not disappoint! I wish we could have stayed and watched, but we did get to see a few hot air balloons as we were loading up. I’m not 100% sure what this was, but it looked like a turtle with, I don’t know, 20 legs! lol

Now we’re off! The GoPro was aimed and ready to go, finally getting the hang of controling it while riding! There are tricks to it, especially controlling it with your phone. First, when you put a new battery in, if it takes a battery, is to turn it on, so it talks to the phone, if you don’t, then sometimes they don’t talk, and when you’re riding, not fun!

We rode Hwy789, which reminds me of the bad dad joke “Why was 6 afraid?” “Because 7 8 9!” Say it out loud, you’ll get it! HA HA. Here are a few videos to enjoy the scenery! 30 seconds 4.5 minutes

The hard part, with the scenery as amazing as it is/was, limited battery and SD card space, you have to pick and choose what you’re going to take pictures and video of. PSM and I always had 2 batteries constantly charging in our saddle bags, they went fast!

Eventually, we entered Shoshone National Forest, just look at it! wow! Then we were on US Route 212, a section known as Beartooth Pass or Highway, in Montana and Wyoming between Red Lodge and the NE Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. It is 68.3 miles and is comprised of steep zigzags and switchbacks, you may remember us talking about them a few days ago, they are hairpin turns and wonderful! The first time I did Beartooth Pass was in 2023 when we did our first 3 week trip, and I did it without a helmet, no, I am not a fan of going without a helmet, it definitely wasn’t intentional! After that experience, I totally get why some people choose not to wear a helmet, but I promise, I am not one of them!

The half-way point of Beartooth Pass is Top of the World Store, it’s also a vacation rental destination. This is a biker’s hangout if you ever saw one! You have every type of bike, rider, skill, everyone just hanging out, sharing stories, a drink, food, enjoying the camaraderie, kindship, and common interests. The store has all the good touristy items you’re looking for; patches, stickers, magnets, tshirts, and all the other branded stuff you might want! You heard that, patches and magnets, who’s in heaven? You guessed it!

After a brief stop, purchase, and bathroom break, we were off again! The sky, the road, the view, there is nothing like it! And…it’s July and there is still snow on the mountain, I hope you can see it in some of the pics and videos! We stopped at at Quad Creek Scenic Overlook to marvel at Mother Nature and three green MGs pulled up, what are the odds?!

Here are a few more videos of our ride: 5.2 Minutes, 11:51 Minutes. I’m working on creating a YouTube channel that can host all our videos, I’ll share when it’s up!

We came down off Beartooth Pass into Red Lodge, MT, yes, somewhere along we crossed into Montana and I missed my Google Maps State screenshot, and stopped at the Red Box Car for lunch. It’s a 100-year-old boxcar! They have burgers, fries, salads, ice cream. It’s a 1903 Box Car from the Rocky Fork Line that ran from Laurel, MT to Red Lodge, MT. 1903, how fitting, Harley Davidson started in 1903! It was right next to a stream, so peaceful!

The, back on the bikes to Livingston, MT, we were staying at the Comfort Inn Bozeman. The funny thing…it’s called Comfort Inn Bozeman, but it’s in Livingston, MT, go figure! We settled in, then headed down to the pool for a dip, then tried to get an Uber to one of the restaurants I found, but it turned out there were a few weddings in town and we wouldn’t be able to get an Uber or taxi for hours, so…we walked across the road to Big Sky Thai and what a treat that was!

There was only one other person in the restaurant, I have a feeling everyone was at one of the weddings! But…while we were there, several people came in for to-go orders, a good sign. Our server was great and her helper, the son of the owners, a charming and spirited 8 year old who charmed DJH! And the rest of us, of course! He was so excited to take our order, but jumping all over the place, it was great!

The food was really good, again, another great meal, we’re on a roll! After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to chill, then crash. Tomorrow, we’re heading to Yellowstone and guess who’s meeting us there?! PSM! YES!

Day 8: July 18 Relive

Day 8: 369.7 Miles, 7.5 Hours, Hot air balloons, Twists, turns, and switchbacks! Tomorrow…Yellowstone!

{August 31, 2026} Day 7: 308.2 Miles, 4 Hours, 2 States, 6 Cities, A Bad Meal, A Car/Motorcycle Parade, and a Good Meal!

Day 7 started kind of liesurely, I think I mentioned I had an interview, so we waited for me to complete it before we took off. Since it was going to be a later departure, we slept in until 730a, well, the alarm was set for 730a, DJH is really good at sleeping in, unlike me! We met at the bikes to load up about 8a, then breakfast about 830a, could have been earlier, not sure. And no, I haven’t heard anything about the interview results, after a month, I don’t hold much hope, not losing sleep over it!

We got on the road, destination Riverton, WY, and heading closer to seeing PSM! He would be joining us Sunday! And…DJH put his GoPro mount on my handlebar, and I was going to be taking video of our rides! So…the images should be much better! Some of the pics when I first starting using it might not be the best, but with practice, they definitey got better!

There were some really, really, really, long stretches of road, some pretty, some not so much, but it was wide open road and allowed us to drop the throttle and get up there, wind therapy, here we come! And…if you’re thinking just because we’re moving fast, 99+ degrees is refreshing, hot wind is hot wind, no matter how fast you’re going! We rode from Loveland, CO into Wyoming through Rawlins, The Buttes, and Laporte, CO.

We stopped for lunch in Rawlins, WY, unfortunately, the town was a bit dead and there weren’t a lot of food choices, but we were sticky hot and hungry, so we settled on Shogunz Pizzeria & Bar, the atmosphere was welcoming and the decorations were fun, DJH had a great sandwich, VGT wasn’t thrilled with what he got and I ordered a flatbread, well, a pizza with no cheese and the toppings I asked for weren’t there and what I asked to be removed, there, so, one out of three of us had a good meal. I believe I mentioned that all but a few meals weren’t great, this was one of them. The people were nice and the beverages were cold, that was a big plus!

After lunch, back on the bikes heading towards our destination for the evening, the Super 8 Riverton, it was a place to crash and rest our heads. We rode through Three Forks, finally getting to Riverton, WY. Turns out, they messed up our reservation, they only had 2 king rooms for us, I ended up getting a cot, which was fine for me, and gave DJH the bed. The only bad part for DJH, was that I was right in front of the AC and if he could, he would probably sleep inside it! lol. He loved to turn the air down to 60 no matter where we were! Let me just say… brrrrr!

As we were riding down Federal Blvd towards the hotel, it seemed like everyone from Riverton was setting up their chairs on the road for something, and it looked like Main Street was blocked off for a block party, good for us? Turns out, we arrived just in time for the Rocky Mountain Rebels Car Show and Riveton Rendezvous Balloon Rally weekend! It started with the parade of cars, it went on for a very long time, felt like there were at least 100+ cars, both classic and modern, motorcycles, trucks, busses, you name it, they were there!

As we stood there watching, there was a family next to us, and luckily for them, they were throwing candy from the parade to the spectators, those kids lucked out! After the parade, we were trying to get an Uber to take us to Main Street, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. But…we were in luck, County Commissioner Ron Fabrizius and his wife offered us a ride to Main Street! He is a 3rd generation farmer, rancher, and manufacturer. They were lovely people who seemed to know everyone!

We got out at Main Street, walked up and down, looking at the cars, bikes, and other vehicles that had been in the parade. We also tried to go to one or two of the restaurants I had on my list, but they were closed for the event. We ended up at Taqueria Los Amigos, unfortunately, they don’t have a website, but if you’re in Riverton, WY, definitely go! They are at 712 E Fremont Ave, Riverton, WY 82501. They offer authentic Mexican street food, the staff was friendly, and the food was terrific! It wasn’t on my original list, but it is now!

We tried to get an Uber back to the hotel, but…because of the street fair, it was proving very difficult and we eneded up walking back. VGT had taken a shower when we got to the hotel, unfortunately, DJH and I were still in our riding attire and our riding boots, my feet needed to breath! It wasn’t that far from the hotel, just under a mile, but when you rode all day and it was hot and sticky, then walked the few blocks of the street fair, even a quarter mile feels like 20!

All-in-all, a good day of riding that ended with a parade and a festival, what more could you want?! And tomorrow…we’re off to Montana!

Also…this is when I started recording our rides using the Relive app. It’s an app that tracks whatever you ask it, could be hiking, cycling, running, skiing, boating, driving, fishing, you name it, it can probably track it, and for us…motorcycling. It tracks from whenever you click start to finish, and it will add any pictures or videos that you take. It gives stats: Duration, Distance, Elevation. It also shows different cities and states that you enter and cross, speeds you may achieve, and it shows you the route you took. I’m still perfecting how I use it, but I’m going to start including the recordings, I hope you enjoy!

Relive: Day 7

Day 7: 308.2 Miles, 4+ Hours 99+ degrees, and a parade! Tomorrow…Montana!

{August 30, 2026} Day 6: 357.6 Miles, 8.5 Hours, 4 National Forests, 8 Cities, and a Hornet Attack

Day 6 started casually, VGT’s bike was at the dealership getting attended to, so…wake up at 8a, what? oh yeah! You know me, I don’t sleep a lot, and this trip was no different despite riding for 6/8/10/12 hours, some nights I just couldn’t sleep past 3 or 4am, fun…

We met at 830a for breakfast at the hotel, took our time, when we were done we went outside to sit on the patio, finish our coffee and tea, chat, and just enjoy the liesurely morning. At one point DJH went inside for something and VGT and I moved to another table, all of a sudden I felt something, turns out it was a hornet, actually several hornets…not sure if you can see how swollen my wrist became, but it wasn’t fun. And boy howdy did it hurt! We looked under the table and there were 2 nests, terrific. When we went inside, I told the front desk, they said they would take care of it, but…I spoke with a maintenance worker who was stung last week, and told the hotel…

I put some ice on it, which helped a little. VGT looke up stings and ice and a wet teabag were the immediate solution, and it helped a lot! As the days wore on, I realized there were more and more stings, I lost count after 7!!! Eventually the swelling and itching went down and then away.

When VGT got word that his bike was ready, I offered my bike to ride over and I jumped on the back of DJH’s, that was surreal, I’m not usually on the back of a bike. When we got to the Teddy Morse’s Grand Junction Powersports, I asked VGT what he thought, first thing he said “Can you say back rest?!” I don’t have one and I don’t really mind. When I have my bag strapped to the bike, then I use that as a back rest, but the rest of the time, I’m ok.

VGT went to the service area and DJH and I walked inside, first thing I see…little Amira, an 11 week old Doxie puppy. What a doll baby! We walked around, DJH needed a new rain jacket and I got a t-shirt, just a momento from the dealership. PSM and I have a stupid number of dealer t-shirts, it’s a great way to remember where we’ve been and we have quite a few Harley Davidson ones, especially if there isn’t an Indian Motorcycle dealership nearby. Well, VGT was ready to roll and we all headed back to the hotel to load up and take off!

And they’re off! We headed out on I70W, a major westbound highway that spans about 2,150 miles across the United States, running from Maryland to Utah. We rode through Fruitvale, Paraschute, Silt, White River National Forest, Dotsero, McCoy, and a bunch of unknown locations until we stopped for gas at this really charming gas station, Egeria Fuel Station and Liquor Store in Toponas, CO, very unassuming on the outside, but inside, the front had all these great framed alcohol advertisement images, and quite the colleciton of wine, hard alcohol, and moonshine, just to name a few, for sale. And the guy who worked there…charming! I bought PSM some wee dram bottles of things I knew he liked and one local for him to try. Since I’m not sure what he would like, outside of what we have at home, I never buy him anything more than a nip bottle, just in case it’s not his cup o’ tea, so to speak!

We rode on and stopped in Walden for petrol, more unnamed roads, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Arapaho National Forest, Roosevelt National Forests, and Pawnee National Grassland, you could see where some of the wild fires had taken its toll on the trees, and finally making it to Loveland, CO, where we were spending the evening at the Hampton Inn Loveland.

We got settled in, DJH and I went for a dip in the pool, VGT went to grab a shower and a rest. Eventually I called an Uber and we went to the Lazy Dog Bar & Grill. Our driver to the Lazy Dog Bar & Grill was great, very chatty, in a good way, talking about Loveland and other things, our driver back to the hotel, not a fan…the music was really loud, don’t get me wrong, I like the volume in my car to be up so loud the mirrors shake, but I’m alone, not driving other people around, hoping for a tip… just saying…

The Lazy Dog Bar & Grill was enjoyable! The atmosphere was great, it was a sports bar, but it was also very dog themed! All the pics on the walls were dogs, the signs for the restrooms, you name it, it was kitschy and I loved it! The food, really good. So far… except for the first night, we’ve had some great meals!

Back to the hotel, let’s get some laundry done, it’s about time! A later start to the day tomorrow, I have an interview at 1130a local time, so…breakfast at 8a, I’ll do my interview and then we’ll head out!

Day 6: 357.6 Miles, 8.5 Hours, hot temps, a hornet attack… tomorrow Wyoming!

{August 27, 2026} Day 4: 298.7 Miles, 1 Rainstorm, We made it!

It’s Day 4, we’re heading from La Junta, CO to Durango, CO for the ‘start’ of the trip! I know that might sound a little odd, but the first four days was to get us to a destination, kind of like the back end of the trip. Durango is where we’re going to start finding those roads that have the twists and turns, the roads that will challenge us, maybe because of a fear of heights, maybe having to execute technial riding skills, speed, you name it, whatever it is to you, it’s an adventure.

We were at a Hampton Inn, they always have a decent breakfast, meet at the bikes at 7a, load up, have breakfast, and KSU between 730a and 8am. I try to take pics of the bikes each morning, sometimes the sun hits the bikes just right, don’t you agree?! And if angle it just right, you can’t see the dirt! ha ha! One of the things we do, not every day, is try to clean off the bikes, at least get the bugs off the windshield/windscreen!

Get on the bikes, we have about 300 miles to go, a short day. I know, some people are thinking, 300 miles on a bike, no thanks, I don’t even want to go 300 miles in a car! fair point, but we’ve got a goal! I don’t know if I already said, but some days are going to be just about 200 miles, some days 300, some 400-500 miles. The crazier part, some of the days are going to be anywhere from 4 to 6 to 8, 10, even 12 hours. You read that right! We may only go 350 miles, but it will likely take more than 8 hours, another day might be 200 miles and take 5 hours, it all depends on the road, how technical it is, the twists, turns, switch backs involved, that’s one of the great things about being on a motorcycle!

I also just realized you might not know some motorcycle terminology! Switchbacks are sharp, zig-zagging u-turns or hairpin corners, I think it’s exactly what you’re thinking it is after that! usually on mountain roads and they take concentration, skill, and technical knowledge and ability. You don’t start off knowing how to do it, someone might tell you how to do it, you learn as you go, sometimes it’s instinct and you just know what to do, you do get there in the end. The most important thing I was ever taught and it’s a mantra I use sometimes “Trust the bike, trust the bike.” It doesn’t get any more straight than that. The bike is going where you point it, and similar to skiing, it goes where you’re looking! When you’re behind the wheel of a car, do you trust the car? You bet you do, trust the bike! The really funny thing, and PSM will tell you… I love the switchbacks and hairpin turns, let me loose on those mountain roads…put me on my own driveway or in a gas station parking lot and I am scared out of my mind to make a u-turn! What’s easy is hard to me and what’s hard is easy to me! Go figure!

Moving on…We have to get to Durango, CO this afternoon! Since we were there a few years ago, DJH and I knew where we were going for dinner! There were some great roads and we were making good time, we pulled into the last stop for gas before we got to Durango and what happened… the sky opened up. Actually, it had started to rain a little just before we got to the gas station, unfortunately, there wasn’t a place for us to stop and put on rain gear. So… we got gas, didn’t think it was going to be too bad, so just put on our rain jackets, to be honest, my upper half wasn’t too wet, my legs were already wet, I did not want to have to put on my rain pants over my wet pants, and we weren’t that far from the hotel, so…you can guess what happened.

Now, MB had been having a few issues with his bike that day and was concerned, the good thing was that we were heading to Durango and we were very familiar with Durango Harley Davidson. When we did our 3-week trip in 2023, some of the folks had been riding for a few weeks so they scheduled a service at the dealership. I had called earlier to see if they might be able to help MB out, and they were nice enough to try to fit him in to at least look at the bike, and VGT thought he might need a tire, lucky we were heading in that direction!

As we were riding, the rain came down harder and harder, always fun! So… needless to say, we were a little drippy when we got there. Take a look at my waterproof riding boots! Yeah… I didn’t bring my waterproof socks because I didn’t think I needed them since I had these waterproof boots.

While MB and VGT were working with the service team, DJH and I headed to the Junction Hotel & Hostel. We stayed in the hotel part, as youthful as I feel, I’m happy sharing a room with just my husband and a friend and no bunk beds, thanks! We unloaded the bikes, rung out our clothes, hung everything to hopefully dry by the morning, and took showers to warm up and dry off! While I called PSM, DJH called home to talk to the family.

When VGT got to the hotel, we reconvened, I ordered an Uber to take us to Steamworks Brewing Company. DJH, PSM, and I had been there in 2023, we were looking forward to going again! MB wasn’t back from the dealership yet, we were waiting on him. We didn’t have a reservation, put our names on the list and hoped to get a table, the place was jam packed for a Thursday! I struck up a conversation with a woman at the bar, who had her name on the reservation list and said we could take their spots at the bar when their name came up, score!

By the time MB showed up, it wasn’t great news, unfortunately, there were a few issues, I wish I could remember exactly what they were, but the bottom was…his bike was staying in Durango until it was fixed and MB was going home tomorrow. Definitely not happy news and not what we were hoping for. He didn’t know when the bike would be done, so he wouldn’t be able to ship his bike to one of our stops, so… he arranged for the bike to be shipped home when it was done and he booked a flight back to Boston for the next day. Bummer.

We squeezed in, sat down, relaxed, ordered food and drinks, I ordered an amaretto on the rocks, and if you know me, you know I’m not really a drinker, I might have one or two a year, and it takes me several hours to finish one! I really only drink when I’m pretending to be an adult! lol We chatted with the people to our left and the people to our right. Everyone we talked to couldn’t believe the trip we were about to do, or that we had ridden our bikes from MA and PA! By the time we were ready to head back to the hotel, MB’s spirits were lifted a little, as much as we could under the circumstances.

We also got a recommendation for breakfast, the Durango Diner, and ordering The Cure is a must! We looked it up and after DJH read what it was, he went to sleep saying “The Cure”, dreamt “The Cure”, and woke up saying “The Cure”. Guess where we’re going to breakfast! Uber back to the hotel, meet at the bikes at 7a, head to breakfast, then hit the road!

Thinking I’m going to leave the post here today, can’t wait to tell you about tomorrow’s ride from Durango, CO to Grand Junction, CO, via the Million Dollar Highway and Silverton, CO! So much to tell and what a ride!

Day 4: 298.7 miles, sunny skies, got warm fast, rain storm, rain in my boots. Tomorrow…Grand Junction!

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