The wait is almost over. After months of planning, I am just a few days away from what may be one of my last big trips on two wheels. I leave Thursday to fly out to Denver for a 10-day, 3,200-mile solo trip through 10 states to honor a friend who was supposed to make the trip with me.
I'll be picking up my rental bike outside of Denver, and will make a big, counter-clockwise loop. My planned itinerary:
Day 1: Denver, CO to Alliance, NE (travel day)
Day 2: Alliance, NE to Rapid City, SD, through the Badlands N.P.
Day 3: Ride the Black Hills, including Needles Hwy, Mt. Rushmore, and out to Devi's Tower.
Day 4: Rapid City, SD to Forsyth, MT, traveling through ND (travel day)
Day 5: Forsyth, MT to Gardiner, MT, via the Beartooth Highway
Day 6: Gardiner, MT to Jackson Hole, WY, through Yellowstone N.P.
Day 7: Jackson Hole, WY to Nephi, UT, through ID (travel day)
Day 8: Nephi, UT to Page, AZ, stopping at Bryce Canyon N.P.
Day 9: Page, AZ to Farmington, NM through Monument Valley and Gallup, NM to have dinner with a high school friend
Day 10: Farmington, NM to Denver, CO, via the Million Dollar Highway
Weather will vary from 40's-50's over Beartooth Pass to over 100* traveling through AZ, So I'll be packing everything from winter gear to a cooling vest.
I'll try to post daily updates and pics as my connectivity allows. I'll probably also post, to a lesser extent, on Facebook as well.
I'll be picking up my rental bike outside of Denver, and will make a big, counter-clockwise loop. My planned itinerary:
Day 1: Denver, CO to Alliance, NE (travel day)
Day 2: Alliance, NE to Rapid City, SD, through the Badlands N.P.
Day 3: Ride the Black Hills, including Needles Hwy, Mt. Rushmore, and out to Devi's Tower.
Day 4: Rapid City, SD to Forsyth, MT, traveling through ND (travel day)
Day 5: Forsyth, MT to Gardiner, MT, via the Beartooth Highway
Day 6: Gardiner, MT to Jackson Hole, WY, through Yellowstone N.P.
Day 7: Jackson Hole, WY to Nephi, UT, through ID (travel day)
Day 8: Nephi, UT to Page, AZ, stopping at Bryce Canyon N.P.
Day 9: Page, AZ to Farmington, NM through Monument Valley and Gallup, NM to have dinner with a high school friend
Day 10: Farmington, NM to Denver, CO, via the Million Dollar Highway
Weather will vary from 40's-50's over Beartooth Pass to over 100* traveling through AZ, So I'll be packing everything from winter gear to a cooling vest.
I'll try to post daily updates and pics as my connectivity allows. I'll probably also post, to a lesser extent, on Facebook as well.