Traveling Through Wyoming and Need Suggestions PLEASE

[wvnnva]

Hello WY X riders from a VA X'r. Maybe some of you saw my post on the Genl. VTXOA board about making a cross country trip leaving for Idaho and Washington on 17 Jul. On the return trip I would like to travel across MT via Missoula and on eastward. Somewhere over towards Bozeman I am considering heading south down into Yellowstone. Eventually I want to make my way to the Denver area.

I am hopeful of getting some suggestions about where I might be most likely to find lodging w/o making reservations at this time of year. I expect to be heading home to VA around mid-August.

Is is reasonable to think I could find lodging in the area of Bozeman and have enough time to travel into the NW part of Wyoming, do some sightseeing, and make it to somewhere east of that area and find lodging the same day? I am unsure about what kind of time I can make.

I have looked at the WY map and see several routes I could travel. Some places that appear possible overnight stops are Cody, Rowell, Sheridan in the north. Other possible stopovers might be Worland, Thermopolis, Buffalo, Riverton, Casper, and Rock Springs.

If some of you seasoned travelers/riders have any suggestions that might help me plan a way to enjoy your beautiful country, please share them by sending a PM. If you prefer to just reply to this post, I will check back again before I leave on Monday morning. While visiting a brother in Spokane, WA I will finalize the return trip.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can take the time to respond. I shall appreciate it most sincerely. Best wishes and ride safely wherever you go. :) :D

Todd

[DonOhlin]

Wyoming is the least populated state in the US and as such, probably also has the fewest motel rooms in the US. This time of year, rooms can be hard to find w/o reservations, but it is possible. Cody and Jackson will be expensive - $90+ for what would be $50 elsewhere in the state. The easiest place to find rooms would be the furthest from Yellowstone.

Just north of Cody is Beartooth and one of the most beautiful rides you'll ever see - with some very ugly dull scenery on one end.

The fastest route from Cody to Denver is via Thermopolis, Shoshoni, Casper. (Stop in Shoshoni for a FANTASTIC shake or malt, made the 1950's way.) I took that route last weekend. Via this route, Cody is 525 miles or so from Denver. The first 200 have some corners and the speed limit is 65 (with occasional Leo's looking for tourists, just remember speed traps are usually on straight aways or down hills but you can get nailed by a moving Leo). I usually stay between 75-80 on this stretch. From Casper, it is freeway to Denver and 75 mph with about 30 miles of road construction in two sections, but they move pretty good.

The route from Cody to Sheridan is beautiful and you can make up a lot of time from Sheridan because it's all freeway to Denver. I just came down from Buffalo (near Sheridan) today and can tell you taking 16 over the moutains through Tensleep to Buffalo is also beautiful. The problem is, most of the roads over the mountains up there are beautiful.

Don Ohlin <><
Blessed are the flexible,
for they shall not be bent out of shape!

[wvnnva]

Wyoming is the least populated state in the US and as such, probably also has the fewest motel rooms in the US. This time of year, rooms can be hard to find w/o reservations, but it is possible. Cody and Jackson will be expensive - $90+ for what would be $50 elsewhere in the state. The easiest place to find rooms would be the furthest from Yellowstone.

Just north of Cody is Beartooth and one of the most beautiful rides you'll ever see - with some very ugly dull scenery on one end.

The fastest route from Cody to Denver is via Thermopolis, Shoshoni, Casper. (Stop in Shoshoni for a FANTASTIC shake or malt, made the 1950's way.) I took that route last weekend. Via this route, Cody is 525 miles or so from Denver. The first 200 have some corners and the speed limit is 65 (with occasional Leo's looking for tourists, just remember speed traps are usually on straight aways or down hills but you can get nailed by a moving Leo). I usually stay between 75-80 on this stretch. From Casper, it is freeway to Denver and 75 mph with about 30 miles of road construction in two sections, but they move pretty good.

The route from Cody to Sheridan is beautiful and you can make up a lot of time from Sheridan because it's all freeway to Denver. I just came down from Buffalo (near Sheridan) today and can tell you taking 16 over the moutains through Tensleep to Buffalo is also beautiful. The problem is, most of the roads over the mountains up there are beautiful.

Don Ohlin <><
Blessed are the flexible,
for they shall not be bent out of shape!


Hello Don. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your PM. Thank you for taking the time to respond with such thorough and helpful information. Someone else had mentioned the Beartooth route and it sounds very interesting. I might just have to figure out a good way to go through Yellowstone, do Beartooth to Red Lodge, and back to Cody. Hey, do you think the elevation of BT Pass would cause any problem with mountain sickness???

I noticed on my map that the roads you suggest are mostly all "scenic byways." Not being in any hurry to get back home, I may take them all. 8) :lol:

I am retired and can be very flexible with my schedule. I have rescheduled some doctors appts. for early Sept so those are the only obligations I need to be concerned about. Maybe there is something good in my much younger than I wife leaving just over three years ago. My children are grown and married so I can pretty much do as I please, and I usually do. :wink:

Thanks again for the wonderful information. I will surely put it to good use. Because of your help my trip will be much nicer. :D If you ever head east and need info about eastern WV or the north western part of VA, please contact me. I would be delighted to try and return the favor. Best wishes and ride safely always. :)

Todd

[DonOhlin]

Mountain sickness hits every one at a different alttitude. The two best things you can do for it are large amounts of water and an aspirin each day - they both dilute the blood.

You are most welcome and I may some day ask for the return info, but my wife is still with me (and riding with me) but she only gets two weeks of vacation each year, so we spend most of that hitting rallies and visiting our kids.

Hope to see you soon!
Don Ohlin <><

[wyomingpigskin]

Hello,
I live in Cody - Rainbow park motel - 65.00 a night k- old but clean

Cody has one of the finest Museums in th world - 5 in one - can spend lots of time.

When you leave to go to Sheridan if you go 14 A Lovell and over th top
there is a great ride ( 50 miles round trip ) to Big horn canyon nat'l rec area. Wild horses, curve road, new pavement, beautiful view of canyon.
99 % of bikers pass it by. It is great ride to Barry's landing and back.

South fork out of cody is excellent also and the beartooth's are great.
Be sure and do the chief Joseph Hwy with the beartooths.

If you come to Red Lodge Roscoe, Mt. is a great ride and steak house.

Have fun - will be hard to beat riding once you8 get here.

Wyomingpigskin

[gstanfield]

Just a little note about lodging. You will find it valuable to call ahead to make sure you have a place to stay. I teach the MSF course all over the state and this time of year it is hard to find open rooms in the northern half of the state (as well as Cheyenne) due to road construction season and the rooms being filled with workers, plus tourist season on top of it all. I'm not saying roms don't exist, but ou may have to call several places to find one and it's better to call around than to drive al over town looking for a bed.

One other thing that I've found is that all the cheaper palces are booked solid for the rest of the year so we have been forced to pay for the more expensive places to stay.

Enjoy yor ride, take lots of pictures and maybe even sneak a wolf or two home wih you, we don't need them :D

If you're somewhere in the state and find yourself in need of help, give me a call, I'll PM you my number.

Ride safe,
George