Leaving NC going to Wing Ding 2010 & then Yellowstone

[Boscoporp]

My wife & I are riding out to Wing Ding 2010 (1000 miles) in Des Moines and then we are riding another 1000 miles to Yellowstone. Is anyone interested in riding along? We are planing a week or more in Yellowstone and then we are going thru Mt Rushmore in SD on our way back.

[ben721364]

My wife & I are riding out to Wing Ding 2010 (1000 miles) in Des Moines and then we are riding another 1000 miles to Yellowstone. Is anyone interested in riding along? We are planing a week or more in Yellowstone and then we are going thru Mt Rushmore in SD on our way back.

I don't know when the Ding is held. The GWTA Gold Rush will be in Billings, MT (in the Yellowstone neighborhood) from July 18 through the 22nd and might be a fun addition to your trip. The GR is more laid back and not as crowded but with all the requisite bells and whistles and will be in a beautiful setting this year.

You might want to post your invitation on the GWTA Board if the schedule seems compatible.

[Boscoporp]

I'm not familiar with GWTA?? What is that and where is their board?

[Wayne Harmsen]

A week or more in yellowstone is a long time.
When we went this past summer we spent a couple days in yellowstone and that was enough for us.
You can easy spend three days in Cody and surrounding area.
No matter where you go out west you will have a great time.

[Gorilla]

Cody is a great stop. We stayed at a place on the west side of town just before the rodeo grounds called "Big Bear Motel" nice cabins and a great host family. Been there twice and will stay again next time we are out that way.

[Yellow Trike]

Won't be able to ride with you, but might see you in Des Moines!

You might want to include a Beartooth Pass ride over to Cooke City, Montana. The hotel on the east side of main street had good food...and great water!

AWESOME ride!

Beartooth All American Road - Cooke City Montana, Cody Wyoming, Red Lodge Montana

[chaz_36]

FWIW...I agree with Wayne, a couple of days in Yellowstone is probably enough to see it all... Just south of Yellowstone is the town of Jackson Hole and the Teton mountain range....the city square is interesting, really beautiful area. Between Jackson Hole and the south entrance to Yellowstone there's the Jackson Lake Lodge....first class hotel with several restaurants, beautiful setting. We stopped and had lunch there on our last trip thru Yellowstone......really a neat place. You might even consider it as a place to stay while visiting the Yellowstone area - wish we'd known about it!! There were several moose roaming around near the hotel ...very interesting/scenic place.
Here's the link..
National Park Lodging: Jackson Lake Lodge - Grand Teton Lodge Company
Your route could very easily take you first thru Jackson Hole, north to the south entrance of Yellowstone and eventually out thru the north-east park entrance to go thru Beartooth Pass that Yellow Trike mentioned........you'll love all of it!!
Enjoy
Charlie

[Calman]

Sounds like a great trip and you'll have loads of fun!

However, I'm leaving Eastern NC in late April/early May for a 4-corners trip. I'm going to do it in reverse from the way most have done it - heading for Key West and then out to CA before it gets too hot crossing the desert!

[patriot]

Don't forget the Chief Joseph Highway. We spent the night in Cody, then over the Chief Joseph Highway, through Cooke City to the north-east entrance to Yellowstone. We stayed 2 nights in West Yellowstone.

Then it's was onward to Billings for Wing Ding. The Bearthooth Pass is breathe taking. The only thing I wish we would have done was a ride down to Jackson Hole.

[Gorilla]

patriot that ride to Jackson Hole thru the Tetons is very nice.

[cjmitch]

Beartooth is a BEAUTIFUL ride. and the temperature drop is awesome.
it was 90+ and the base of the hill, but by the time we got to the top it was in the 50's.

But stay away from Cooke city...
There is only ONE gas station in town, and the gas was 5.00 a gallon, and that was in 2007. (can you say GOUGE)
None of the proprieters would let any of my group, use the bathroom without a purchase.
I saw one shop owner tell a Dad with 2 little girls (both less than 7) to get out of his store, unless they bought something. The little girl was red faced and dancing with her legs crossed, till the Dad could get her to a ports-potty that was set up at the "visitors / welcome bureau".
then the owner of a hotel across from the porta-potties was hollering at my group because they were parked on the gravel next to his driveway.

I went right in to the "welcome center" and told them I would (If I could help it) never return to this rippoff, i'll mannered town.

[Gorilla]

Word of mouth does wonderious things.

[patriot]

Word of mouth does wonderious things.

It seems that like there are many circumstances where the "word-of-mouth" needs to be used. Mine situation deals with a Honda dealer.

I would only have one thing to say to the proprieter of that store, "my girls can pee in your tolet, or right here on the floor; what's it going to be?"

When we were in Cooke City, we ate at a burger joint on the north side of the road. I can not remember the name, but they were ok, howbeit we were eating there. A town like Cooke City could make facilities easily accessable without any hassles. It's too bad Cooke City or is it a handfull of people, that give the place a bad name?

[ben721364]

I'm not familiar with GWTA?? What is that and where is their board?

GWTA stands for the Goldwing Touring Asociation. It is a smaller scale member run national club that offers all the benefits and useful programs offered by the GWRRA. Take a look:

Welcome !