Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire On the road again.

First trip I did I was rushing to get up to NY so as to maximize my time with kin up there. Europe three years back I had 40 days after the motorcycle races so I could meander, which was good because I took the wrong boat to France and ended up 250 miles off course.

This one I’ve been rushing again to make up for lost time, I need to stop that in the future. I’ve given up on riding back to Texas, but the new task is 170 miles to meet my friends and their new (to them) motorhome at the LBH Battlefield in three days.

Day 13: 50 miles 456 miles total.

A great two nights at the home of one of those members who no longer posts here much on account of all the crap. Also visiting was one of the premier custom gunsmiths in the world 😎 A guy who can make you whatever part you need starting with plain bar stock. Bristoe would really like talking to this guy.

We was up shooting the breeze until the early hours and stayed late over breakfast, consequently I didn’t clear the Cody City Limits until nearly 1pm headed north.

A moderate climb out of the Shoshone River Valley over to the semi-arid Clark Fork of the Yellowstone watershed and trending downstream after that.

I was hoping for an easy 61 miles to Bridger but all day long I was hammered by strong headwinds out of the north. For reasons I don’t understand riding into the wind ain’t nearly as hard as climbing, you just ride along a gear or three lower, speed down by half.

It was getting dark by the time I got to Belfry, a wide spot in the road that has seen better days, no campground, bar/casino/motel closed and for sale. 11miles and two hours into that wind to Bridger.

Fortunately 1/4 mile out of town was a Federal impoundment with a gate. The population along the lower Clark’s Fork is actually fairly dense by Montana standards because they irrigate and grow crops but I figured no one would care if some guy set up on Federal land.

The low was gonna be about 55. The ideal when stopping overnight is just a groundsheet and bedding, but the skeeter’s were swarming, so I put up the screen part of my tent ( no fly) next to the gate in full view of the road. Even left the little battery lantern on to make it easier for the Cop if one stopped by. None did. Slept well, was underway by 7:30, left no trace.

Currently I’m in the Buckeye Bar & Casino, main drag Bridger, eating a great Denver omelet. No wind to speak of, should clear Billings (55 miles) today. I’m back among actual rural folk here instead of wealthy California transplants.