Windy Weather in Wyoming (and Montana)

When touring on a bike, there are many factors to consider. One must consider travel things, like traffic patterns, clothing, eating, GPS/maps, and so forth. One must also be cognizant of mechanical matters and all things motorcycle, like tire pressure, fluid levels, clean windshield, etc. . And of course, one must definitely consider the weather, which means taking into account issues of precipitation, temperature, and wind. Let me share briefly on each matter from above.

So far our carefully laid travel plans have been perfect. Time in the saddle has been about right, butt Cindy contends her rear end was a bit weary today (is that TMI)? The hotels have surprised us as we’ve not chosen to stay Hilton or Marriott all the way, but the second (or third) tier hotels chains have done a reasonably good job and I’m (Tim) a tad bit hard to please on these matters.

Mechanically, we done fine as well. We’ve tested the low fuel gauge light a couple of times, but haven’t run out of gas–yet; and I dare say that Wyoming and Montana, while beautiful, are also slightly barren of fuel stops. As you can see, it’s a bit of a circle. The mechanical issue from yesterday’s blog is on an “inspect and see” basis. It may be nothing much, but like a small child, we’ll watch the bike carefully to see if further sickness develops.

And to the issues of weather. I almost got a little windy myself and wrote a whole blog about wind. Let me just say that 30+ mile per hour gusts take the fun meter down a couple of notches. There were times today that I thought we were going to become the next scene in a Twister sequel. Keeping the bike upright is like hitting the gym. Even so, a tough day on the bike is better than a good day… You get the picture.

Stats: Approximately 2,100 miles covered so far.

Tomorrow: Canada and then on to Sidney, MT. It’s a long day for my wife’s behind so whenever you sit, think of her (boy, I’m in trouble now!).

Picture: As you can see, there are none today. The explanation is quite simple: Cindy is smarter than I on how to upload our photographic journal. Therefore, she will catch you up tomorrow (if her bum is not too bad!)