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Yellowstone and other Western US Parks and roads

3K views 27 replies 12 participants last post by  jenkins 
#1 ·
Just browsing our West Coast US Parks road trip last November .. a few caught my eye. Love the extremophile colours.
I'll post some of these up here which includes, Zion, Arches, Bryce, Yosemite and the Pacific Coast Highway to tempt some of you to visit.

These are Yellowstone hot ponds populated by extremophile bacteria which lends them unearthly color.









and Mammoth Springs magic



and one of my favs.

 
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#4 ·
the smell of sulfur kinda grows on you after a while!
it certainly clears your sinuses.

If Yellowstone goes off it's a world nightmare.
This is a very good watch - based on the science.



The place is well worth putting on your bucket list.

for more than the classics tho they are spectacular













a national treasure for certain and certainly worth planning for.
 
#5 ·
Macdoc - How 'bout you posting Yellowstone as a recommended site on the new Travel Stops Map?!
 
#6 · (Edited)
I want to do that but I can't get the info where I wanted - it goes into Travel stops not into the suggested destinations.

I'm all for your concept but find it a bit awkward to post into

Give you a tip for better communications.
Make your signature go out sideways and reduce the size so it's not confused with the text in the post

like so

2009 AN400 in Lightning Fast White •*GIVI Airflow windshield •OEM side deflectors • Bestem 929 top case • GIVI 479 saddlebags • 19g Dr Pulley Slider Weights
Grip Puppies • Backrest, tunnel bag and top case mods by self • Bought 3/26/12 with 185 miles • 20,000+ current miles
.................................................. ..................................
'tis better to have scooted and got lost, than to never have scooted at all.
 
#7 ·
Thanks, MacDoc! Suggestion taken. I think the most surefire way on the map is to uncheck all the layers except the one you're entering data to. Then, enter an address. A marker will come up on the map. When you click on it, a box will appear where you can enter text, pictures, contact info...whatever you want. At the bottom of the box hit "Save". Let me know how that works out.
 
#8 ·
Why you want to put Yosemite on the bucket list too.



The above was taken from Glacier Point ...the road up to it is wild. No guard rails




This is looking straight down and yes Virginia those are cars in a parking lot in the valley below

 
#9 ·
Then there is Arches, Bryce and Zion all within a days drive....











All easy drive through and wonderfully scenic.



Bryce takes you up above 9,000 feet.

and even getting there has it's wonderful colours

 
#10 ·
Thanks for posting those pictures. I've never been to Bryce or Zion Canyons. I've been to Yellowstone 5 or 6 times - twice while heading home from Sturgis. Glacier Park is as scenic as you could wish for. I'll dig up some pics I have of driving over the Going to the Sun Mountain Highway. It isn't unusual to have to dodge deer - they're everywhere - and the occasional mountain goat that comes down to take a gander at the tourists. I have to hook up an external drive to find the pics. I also have Yellowstone on film so I'd have to scan those.

I have some shots of The Cascades National Park. If you're looking for a 'park' you won't find it. Its all a designated wilderness area and there is nothing but wilderness and a highway - plus a few outhouses to relieve yourself and a few trail heads. Its often called the American Alps. The twisties are some of the best you'll ever find. Trouble is you have to decide whether to slow down so you can soak up the scenery or speed up to enjoy the great roadbed that lets you get into the turns at great speed. There are some fast sweepers you can take at 80 and some that you'll be down to 35-40mph.

I've been over the North Cascades Highway (goes through the park) maybe a hundred times and never tired of the scenery. Half of those were on a MC. Twice per weekend maybe 10-15 times per year - parked my MH in Twisp for the summer just so I didn't have to burn up tons of fuel. Kept the gas on for keeping the beer cold. I sure loved those 4 day work-weeks - it gave me lots of 3 day weekends!
 
#11 ·
Please post them up ....I think along with Scootereno's map we can build bucket lists and ideas for riders.
I would not have imagined Bryce and Arches and Zion so spectacular yet they can be easily covered off in a short time.

One wonders how many riders passed them by on the way west.

Because GF does not ride the western and upcoming Alaskan sites are not from motorcycle trips but by cage but that is some advantage as I have much greater opportunity to photograph.

Your national parks are world treasures.....

Bryce at sunset

 
#13 ·
Thanks ...BTW - these were all shot with a camera that can fit in your shirt pocket.



It's always with me....since I'm a birder - the long lens goes in the other shirt pocket.
( this was done specifically so I could use the bike as a camera platform - the Burgman is really good that way )

And when you have it with you...sometimes magic happens right in front of you



sitting at lunch when grey faced babblers showed up courting a female about 15' away.
 
#15 ·
I've switched from large cameras - my last DSLR was a Nikon D200. I have a Pentax Q now. As you can see its light and very easy to carry. It has interchangeable lenses. I've got (35mm equivalent) a 50mm prime lens and a 26-78mm (I think) zoom. For longer reach I have a Nikon P100 with a 26x zoom - it reaches out to 678mm - the short end is 28mm. The Pentax has excellent color and sharpness. Not quite on par with the D200 but very close. The D200 is a great camera but is too big.
 
#16 ·
Well "Mac" you blew me away with your photography> Im in awe of your experiences and the opportunity to visit such beautiful places. Thanks for sharing :)
 
#17 ·
There are some pretty rich pickings, but Yellowstone itself has too much traffic for my liking. It also costs the moon, unlike places in Oregon or Idaho where the riding is sublime.

------------------------------------------

Beartooth Pass, June 2013



Beartooth is worth the trek across Yelowstone, despite the traffic. The ride from Red Lodge to Absarokee and Columbus is also surprisingly fine. If you go the other way, there is Dead Indian Pass, another epic ride.




These were taken last year. Other years we've been through Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, as well as BC and Alberta. It's hard to pick even a shortlist of fabulous rides in those states.

Here's White Bird, in Idaho. This is taken from the top of the hill, the old White Bird Grade Road.



This is what it looks like from across the valley:



Here's the Old Spiral Highway, north from Lewiston ID:



South from Lewiston the other way takes you to Rattlesnake Grade, into the Snake River canyon:






These are some high points on any trip west (or south). There are entirely too many fabulous roads, and I have entirely too many photos to share them all. I hope you all enjoy these.

Ride safe
Scott Fraser
Calgary
Alberta
 
#18 ·
Serious riding roads. We hit Yellowstone in November just after it had been closed by the gov meltdown and then re-opened. Out timing was fortunate ( GF from Australia would have been steamed if all the parks stayed close - this was a once in a lifetime tour when you take a month away and do a region the size we covered )

But Grand Canyon opened the day after she landed, Yellowstone delayed a bit while they retrieved staff and that prompted us to do Arches, Zion and Bryce which were not all on the original agenda but which we are glad we did not skip.

Pacific Coast Highway was a delight as usual ( we'd both been )



Some pretty classy engineering considering the age.



tho France may have trumped the world with the Bridge in the Clouds which I'd wanted to see for a long time and certainly met and exceeded expectations



There is a fantastic micro-brewery along the coast called Pelican something, good food, a sample of their different award winning products and some spectacular scenery as well despite the fog on occasion. This was just along the beach north of the brewery and despite a foggy gray day the side trip was a highlight....good brew, excellent food and some classic west coast scenery.



and Mount St. Helen's a total eye opener ....really enjoyed it tho barely raced the sun to get there. GF took this at sunset and it almost looks like lava flows. Takes maybe 2 hours off the main NS corridor and a lovely twisting drive



Incredible to think it's 33 years since that went off and the sustained damage is remarkable where they have left it alone.

Shudder to think if Ranier followed ( same chain and type of explosive lava ) let alone Yellowstone going off. !!!!

Whether you do it on two wheels or cage a tour of the Western US parks is a must do - lifetime memories. We'd like to redo Yellowstone in a different time of year. Just the wildlife alone.
 
#19 ·
Big Bloke it's $1800 or less from Sydney to LA return ( I inhabit Cairns for 3 months each year where GF lives permanently so I fly each year ) and you can rent a car for 3 weeks for $600.

Accommodation, food and fuel is much cheaper in North America than in Aus and you can cover major attractions such as those shown plus enjoy San Franciso and Seattle in that time period....and you guys have generous vacation periods compared to the poor sods in North America. You can rent motorcycles as well.

Get planning :D
 
#20 ·
knuckle
I've switched from large cameras - my last DSLR was a Nikon D200. I have a Pentax Q now. As you can see its light and very easy to carry. It has interchangeable lenses. I've got (35mm equivalent) a 50mm prime lens and a 26-78mm (I think) zoom. For longer reach I have a Nikon P100 with a 26x zoom - it reaches out to 678mm - the short end is 28mm. The Pentax has excellent color and sharpness. Not quite on par with the D200 but very close. The D200 is a great camera but is too big.
__________________
Yep - big cameras have gone way up market to the pro crowd, point and shoot are way down in sales due to phones taking up that category.

But MFT and other upper end compacts are up big time as those that want better results see the limitations ( as I did too late :( ) of the point and shoot format.
Under good lighting they will do fine but lack of manual focus and often marginal lenses means the photos are lower quality or missed entirely.
When you consider the cost of a trip and gear and the time spent, having quality photos should be a high priority.

We have a revolution brewing in images on screen 2k is here and 4k is very close. What you think is okay at the time will ( and does ) look woeful on the good screens. I cringe at some of my earlier digital results.

There are excellent packages out there...currently the Gx1 which took oall of these can be had with two lenses in the $600 range and there are less expensive interchangeable lens camera's as well.

I pack a 300 mm ( 600 mm equivalent ) long lens for birding but that's not necessary for many. A pancake lens to keep it small and the standard 14-45 mm zoom ( also getting small now ) will provide years of top quality photograhs and the lenses in the case of the Micro Four Thirds move forward to new cameras.....I switched up to the Gx7 - a time bit bigger but some features I wanted.

It's no good on bike if you have to stop and unpack a camera to take a shot. I can even take shots with the Gx1 one handed while riding...it's fast enough.
But mostly just pull over, pull it out of the shirt pocket and shoot.
I even carried mine off road in Australia.

One seriously big tree that came down across the road


Ken is 6' 1" so figure how big that 400 year old sucker is.

Changing lenses is easy - that's why I favour fishing shirts for riding. Big pockets and they dry fast.

This


morphs to this



even the little lens is capable of spectacular photos



switch lenses and you are up close and personal



and that's all in the shirt pockets.

We spend a chunk of change on our rides.
Slice off a bit for a quality camera that is at hand all the time.

I'd be happy to try and wangle a stickie for this section to discuss camera gear for riding.
Anyone else interested??
 
#21 ·
Turned sunny here ...chilly but warming later ....off riding...enjoy the weekend.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Chilly ride this morning but acceptable shot of a red tailed hawk at long range



I'll take this one - been a while since I've seen a Baltimore Oriole in the area and I've never photographed one :D

 
#24 ·
Amazing photography nicely done.
 
#25 ·
Nothing special - same gear I use riding...the micro four thirds is just a great way to future proof your photos and still be able to take the gear riding.

One think I like is macro at a distance

This was about 10' away with the long lens.
Means there is usually always something to photograph. The hardest part is discipling yourself to stop and take them

 
#26 · (Edited)
Arches, Bryce & Zion might be a easy days ride but don't do it. Spend more time at each as they are worth it. Go over to Canyon Lands NP while you're there it's well worth it also. Don't forget the North Rim of the Grand Canyon while you're there. ;)
I've lost track of how many times I've been to Yellowstone. First trip I remember was back in 1959. We left just a couple of days before the big earthquake they had. We traveled out the west entrance where all the damage & loss of life happened.
 
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