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Chief Joseph Scenic Byway - 2011


Lorne

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     Chief Joseph Scenic Byway

 

This isn't a great time of year for riding in my neck of the woods so I thought I'd share this short video for the rest of you unable to enjoy getting out for a ride. Hope you like it. Btw, the funky framing is my fault for setting the horizon with the bike on its side stand - d'oh!

     A month after buying my new-old-stock '09 VFR800 I was winging my way south en route to Laguna Seca. But as usual on my trips I took the shortcut, this time via Yellowstone NP. Day 4 we left Cooke City for a ride over Beartooth Pass, then backtracked so we could ride over Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Hwy 296) on our way to Cody, Wyo., for breakfast.

     About 22 km/15 mi east of Cooke City on US212 is the junction with Chief Joseph highway which runs another 74 km/45 mi before terminating at Hwy 120. Cody, Wyo. is a short 25 km/15 mi south.

     Chief Joseph does't get as much attention as Beartooth Pass, perhaps because it has a more open feel, but the scenery is stunning especially on bright morning like we had. Having ridden it both directions I think the view is better eastbound, but both are equally fun to ride.

Chief Joseph title.jpg

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Great video!  Thanks for sharing it here.  The only bad thing is watching things like this really get me itching to ride, but the weather is just too cold.  Still, it makes me look forward to some adventures this year!

 

A couple observations:

  • Holy crap, those tar snakes!  Those must be hell in the summer months when the temps rise.
  • I think we don't realize just how active our front suspensions are until we see them in action in videos like this.
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8 hours ago, TimC said:

Holy crap, those tar snakes! 

 

I used to be terrified of tar snakes but eventually learned to relax my grip on the bars and let the bike wriggle about. Perhaps riding at 10/10ths it could lead to trouble, but not at 'reasonable & prudent' speeds.

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11 hours ago, V4 Rosso said:

It sure is scenic!

 

Indeed it is, and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are nearby. Highly recommended if you ever get the chance to visit.

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Awesome!  Thanks for sharing.  I haven't done those routes yet and they have been on my list for a long time.  I hope I can get up that direction this summer.

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Tar snakes move around a lot whe it is hot and sunny. The get slick when it is cold and or wet. I can't believe the government doesn't see them as a safety issue in the line of travel, but $ trumps all, right? Tires also make a huge difference. My BT23s were so bad over them that I took the pair off and threw them out. My Dunlops barely notice them. Loose grip makes a big difference, indeed, but if you get on one for a long time and you're hauling...

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The ones that run perpendicular to the line of travel are usually of no consequence, but if they get carried away with parallel ones in the wheel tracks it can be some trouble in curves - otherwise taking the right lines can usually avoid them.  Near Zion Park one year I encountered a stretch that was so plastered with them I was cursing the head of the Utah DOT the entire time I was on it.  Ridiculous. 

 

Anyway - nice video.  I had the pleasure to cover that in 2018 with Canadian friends on the way to Custer.  It really is epic. 

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Yea My memories of that road from 2016 are extremely positive. I don’t remember seeing lots tar snakes or traffic maybe cause I was busy doing triple digits 🙂

My picture is from Chief Joseph

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I don't know about out/up there, but here in NC, which used to be known for its perfect road condition nearly everywhere, the roads are crap. Even our beloved Blue Ridge Parkway is littered with holes and giant bumps. My "nice" neighborhood is even worse. 

 

I recall VT being mostly tar snakes when I used to live in MA and ride up there with friends. There was always a lot of bike movement on our rides!

 

Looking forward to some rides similar to yours in 2022, in WV, NC, TN, KY. 

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I've ridden that road, west to east and it was absolutly fabulous! The views from the highest altitude were jaw-dropping.

Great video. I really like the first tune but I cannot remember the title or the performer. Would you help me out on that one please? Thanks.

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4 hours ago, MaxSwell said:

I really like the first tune but I cannot remember the title or the performer.

 

First, glad you enjoyed the video. You are correct about how good a road it is, especially on a beautiful day like I had and with sparse traffic. Also, some of those curves go on for ever.

 

Sure, the song is Dreams by Irish band The Cranberries from back in 1993, sung by the terrific Dolores O'Riordan who was sadly taken from us a few years ago.

You might also like two more of their songs:

Linger - The Cranberries          

Zombie - The Cranberries

 

ps. I did list the songs at the very end of the video but forgot to include it in the YT description.

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18 hours ago, Lorne said:

 

First, glad you enjoyed the video. You are correct about how good a road it is, especially on a beautiful day like I had and with sparse traffic. Also, some of those curves go on for ever.

 

Sure, the song is Dreams by Irish band The Cranberries from back in 1993, sung by the terrific Dolores O'Riordan who was sadly taken from us a few years ago.

You might also like two more of their songs:

Linger - The Cranberries          

Zombie - The Cranberries

 

ps. I did list the songs at the very end of the video but forgot to include it in the YT description.

Thank you Lorne, I did recognise the song; in fact I have bought the album. But I may be confusing them with the Raspberries.:blink:

In any event, the woman singing Dreams evokes a dreamy mindset. Perhaps it is because I'm Irish.

BTW: Happy St. Paddy's Day!🍀 

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3 hours ago, slo1 said:

Very few tar strips last year.

 

Looks a lot drier on your ride, so much greener on my trip.

 

Funny thing is that for me the tar strips were hardly noticeable. Maybe at 10/10ths they could catch you out, but with such large radius curves you're not leaned over far enough to matter - unless you're really motoring. 

 

The view at the summit is pretty damned amazing, eh?

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