OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Tues, 6/29/10. Love camping in the wild. Pack up and drive the 33.5 dirt road miles back through Virginia City.


Locals recommend route to take for great fishing and prospecting. So here we go! Hwy287E/N to Rt15E into Bozeman. Hwy89S parallels Yellowstone River to Gardiner. Enter Yellowstone National Park (again!), and cross the northern section.


Whoa!! Don't need to see the body of this buck to know how big he is. Traffic jam in the park....

Exit Yellowstone, exit Wyoming, and arrive in Cooke City, Montana. In 1870, early explorers to the Cooke City area struck gold in the surrounding hills and mining began. Historical and old log cabin buildings still remain. Seems like an interesting place, it's 9 p.m., so we mosey a few miles north and find an empty spot at Soda Butte Campground- Gallatin National Forest. It's pretty dark out here..


Wed, 6/30/10. Up early with mission to explore Daisy Trail and Lulu Pass with our panning

equipment and metal detector. Don't remember seeing this sign when entering the campground?!

From Hwy212 the RV doesn't get very far up the trail to the high country, so Tim says "let's take a little hike up Daisy." Our "little" 6.5 hour hike up and down a steep winding --and off the beaten path -- trail was quite inspiring. Grand Beartooth Mtns, rivers, SNOW!, wildlife.....



































.....panning in streams, detecting around old stone foundations, and seeking shelter from passing thunderstorms.


RVTip#7 - Take lots of photos while in the wilderness. Should you get lost (or something else in grizzly land), hopefully your camera will be found by the search and rescue team and photos used as clues to your possible whereabouts.





























Returning to Hwy212, we locate Lulu Trail which is a bit more groomed for motorized vehicles.













Trail grooming comes to a halt in the higher, snow-covered elevations. A safe RV turnaround is about 1/2 mile back, and what's a dedicated passenger to do? Get out and guide the driver from behind for 1/2 mile to the turnaround.


FUN looking around the remnants of an old abandoned mining area.

A long day and a few treasures. Most valuable treasure was finding out we each have the same infectious desire and all-day patience to wander aimlessly off the beaten path.





















"Me go light fire, me grill steak." Great day, great dinner, great s'mores. Pretty dark again out here...rumbling thunderstorms (or perhaps grizzly?) through the night.


Thurs, 7/1/10. Leave Soda Butte via Hwy212. Exit Montana, enter Wyoming for a thrill ride on the Beartooth All American Road. Gorgeous green terrain, pines and mountains. Coffee and snacks at an overlook.
















Snow, 8' markers, a snow thrower, and Tim with visions of snowplowing in his head.
























At Beartooth Pass, highest elevation is 10,947 and it's 54 degrees.
Tim, "Past awesome!" "Like a ride across the top of the world." "A thrill ride!"

Through Custer National Forest, roll back into Montana through Red Lodge, a rough and rowdy mining town in the early 1890's when coal was found in the area and the streets wandered by Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill Cody and Liver Eatin' Johnson. Continue on Hwy212, pick up I94E to Billings and stop for a few basic food items...and wine. I94E, exit 495 to KOA Campground. Nice site. Grilled turkey legs, corn and spinach. An ice cream sundae social @ 7:30 p.m. for RV people. TV, internet, pool, hot tub, civilization again.