I’m ready to ride. I went shopping today and picked up some riding/anti-freezing gear:

1 fleece pullover
1 windbreaker
1 pair lace-up ankle-high workboots
1 bandana for noggin coverage
1 pair deerskin leather gloves

Total cost: $43.75. (I’m a cheap bastard, aren’t I?)

Here’s the route as of 6:17 pm MST. (It is subject to change right up ’til Go time.)

Bozeman to Atkins Hey, they’ve got a town with my last name here. I have to check it out, see how my people are doing.

Atkins to West entrance to Yellowstone Park This route, Gallatin Canyon, is supposed to one of the most beautiful drives in Montana. Apparently much of A River Runs Through It was filmed here.

Enter Yellowstone (map) from there, angle south to see Old Faithful, skirt Yellowstone Lake heading north to Tower Junction, then angle northwest to exit the park at the north entrance to spend the night in Gardiner. Monday morning go back into the park at the north entrance, go east through the Lamar Valley section to exit the northeast entrance.

It’s Yellowstone National Park. Need I say more?

Then ride Beartooth Highway, stopping frequently to enjoy the scenery, to its end in Red Lodge, MT. Charles Kurault says it’s “the most beautiful drive in America.” I’m going to make sure.

Red Lodge to Bozeman, where I’ll collapse into bed … after downloading all the pictures to my laptop and maybe posting a few here.

(Depending on Yellowstone traffic and its bear-crossing gridlock, I may skip the overnight in Gardiner and instead return to my hotel here in Bozeman for the night, then ride back down to Gardiner in the morning to resume the route. The cheapest rate I can find in Gardiner is $90 and since it’s only 1.5 hours north to Bozeman I’ll probably do that if I can be out of the park before sunset.)

Day 1: 215 miles
Day 2: 277 miles
Total travel: 492 miles

It’s going to be great.