The Mobius Trip

out of the campground had us on some wide, but loose gravel,



but soon we'd be gaining elevation.



The roads were quite dusty, until we got into the woods, where it improved a little,

<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="640" height="360" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2115946587_zhgRLRv?width=640&height=360&albumId=25608721&albumKey=vNZTHg"></iframe>

Up around 7600ft, near Iron Mountain, there was a tasty-looking ATV track which paralleled the main road for a few miles. I'd routed to go on the ATV track; it was at a higher elevation, on the ridge, and I though it'd have better views.

Problem is, it would be an easy turn to blow by. I was riding sweep, and had let a gap form in the curves to let the dust settle, and when I got to the ATV turn-off, there was nobody there. I sat there for a minute and listened... thought I saw some dust on the main road, and decided that they'd have waited for me here if they were going to turn.

So I stayed on the main road, and pretty much hauled the mail for 5 or six miles, until I got to a spot which was a really nice view, and I though, hmmm... I can't believe they wouldn't have stopped here to gather up the group and take some pitchers. And I second-guessed my presumption that they'd taken the main road. Maybe they're now behind me, having taken the ATV trail.

So I headed back to where it rejoined the main road...

<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="640" height="360" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2115731946_jdVtJgt?width=640&height=360&albumId=25608721&albumKey=vNZTHg"></iframe>

I started riding slower, because I didn't want to have a head-on with one of my own crew who might be pushing the pace to try and find me. When I got to the ATV trail, I figured I'd run it in reverse, and if I made it back to the main road without running into them, then my original presumption was right... (and it was a good track )

<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="640" height="360" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2115817391_9K8MZkq?width=640&height=360&albumId=25608721&albumKey=vNZTHg"></iframe>

Sure enough, they'd missed the turn, and now I was like 15 miles behind them. Once back on the main road, it was just a matter of time before I caught up with them, or they missed me and sent someone back. I wasn't too worried. Meanwhile, I think Francine was a little freaked... mostly 'cause where they'd stopped she'd seen a bear. :eek1

I was taking my time, enjoying the sights:



feeling a little sorry for myself that the crew had tried to ditch me,



Sure was a nice day, anyway.

Scott-DW came back looking for me,



so at least I knew I was missed. And we carried on. I think that was the only time we had an issue keeping the group on track. Pretty good for 2k+ miles and two weeks.

we left the NF, we stopped to take some pitchers at Belt Creek,





not sure if that's a cave or a mine up there;

was our Lewis and Clark exit strategy... BTW, I have a photo of the map Lewis & Clark made after their trip... probably would have been useful to decipher land use boundaries on our trip.

(Click on image to open a full-scale version -- zoom in, it's fascinating )



We're near the Judith River on their map.

we hit Hwy 89, which is where Northern Traveler Scott bade us farewell... This photo is significant because I think it's the only time he didn't have a smile on his face!



We were down to 4 for a couple days. After a short two mile, but pretty paved section,



we were back in the NF:

supposed to make this right hand turn, but we could see Scott & Mark way ahead -- we thought maybe they knew something we didn't about the road being closed...



I think they were just using the men's room.



They'd followed Galena Creek, but we were turning onto a smaller road that followed Dry Fork Belt Creek...



Note: there are "No Trespassing" signs literally everywhere.





Past Barker cemetery,





26 years old. Imagine that.

was pretty sweet -- technical, but not too tough, a welcomed change from the wider roads with loose gravel we'd been on.

<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="640" height="360" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2115946823_LQnLgGD?width=640&height=360&albumId=25608721&albumKey=vNZTHg"></iframe>



and then... rut row. The road seemed to peter out, crossed a gully, maybe?

Mark saw a trail marker, and headed down...



Scott followed...



and then they both stopped. That's not a good sign. :huh

<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="640" height="360" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2115802733_Xp9fGmk?width=640&height=360&albumId=25608721&albumKey=vNZTHg"></iframe>

30% grade. Nice.

Short break, then... "Let's finish this off..."

<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="640" height="360" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2115948309_t77m46X?width=640&height=360&albumId=25608721&albumKey=vNZTHg"></iframe>

Uh oh, Francine's down.



No biggie, she'd made it 98% of the way to the top... we got her the rest of the way up, and we were back on track.

not too bad,



but then... The Big Dog got nailed!

I mean:



Well, Mark and Scott are like a well-oiled machine:



I tried to offer help, but they just grunted and said "step aside, rookie"



Mark doesn't like to use patches, and we were out of rear tubes, so he put a front 21" tube in the back.



Francine was sporting a dirt moustache...



and when I told her, she said "stop, don't take my pitcher",



so I stopped.

let me help,



Is that poison ivy?



Or poison sumac?

Back on the trail,



we were having a great day,



But I made a mental note that we should probably try to find a new spare rear tube... we still had a lot of miles to cover.

into Stanford was great,





I anticipated that we'd be in some flatter ranch land, not too exciting until we got to the Missouri Breaks area.

Stanford was in the flats,







Funny, I don't remember stopping?



But I think we picked up groceries.

I remember these two guys, though:

to your microphone? When you started to do video updates I was able to understand much better what you were saying. Now all I here, for the most part, is wind and your motorcycle. Your going to have to find a way to get that mic inside your helmet and out of the wind and engine noise. Aside from, and dispite that, you have the best MC blogs on the internet, Bar none!

'bout that: I was using a new video cam, that is very ingeniously incorporated into the goggles. It's a Liquid Image impact 1080HD, much lighter and less cumbersome than the video cam mount on top of the helmet, and when I tested it at home, the audio was great. Unfortunately, as you've noted, once I start moving, you can't hear my voice. I'm going to have to decide what to do going forward... either talk more when stopped, or shout when moving, or just talk when moving slowly... I don't think there's a really easy way to hack the thing and mount a mic inside the helmet like I did with the ContourHD.

[the other thing I love about it is the nose guard which keeps my big schnoz from getting sunburnt. ]

I've left out a bunch of videos where the main point was what I was saying, and the visual of riding was sort of secondary. When that's the case, I generally tell the story in the text, which I've always done... but what you miss is tone of voice, etc. Especially with Francine's occasional meltdowns . The videos I am including are more to show what the terrain and trail were like.

[the other thing I love about it is the nose guard which keeps my big schnoz from getting sunburnt. ] .....

Really enjoyed looking at that old 1804 L&C map of the NW. I tucked that gem one away for future reference. I was surprised the names for cascade range cones were fairly well established back in the day and haven't changed, except Mt Rainier, which had the extra french "e" suffix (iere) on the old map. Of coarse the local Indians all had different names for them before the white man did the redo.

continue to really enjoy the great story telling and perspectives, keep up coming...

"I slide out of the sleeping bag, and unzip the tent. The smoke and haze has completely blown off, and we're treated to this:"

Every Tuesday, 9/11 not withstanding....This shows a better "fire in the sky" and a better place to be.
Sorry you had to experience the first....glad the second has taken it's place.

:huh



a little concerning, given that we're sleeping out doors most nights...



I knew this section wouldn't be particularly challenging,



but we couldn't complain too much...



it was fast, with no traffic, and great weather.

<iframe src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2115948282_LJKvSgX?width=640&height=360&albumId=25608721&albumKey=vNZTHg" frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" width="640"></iframe>

I actually love blasting across these wide open spaces.