23rd June
After a good night’s sleep, I ring Jorge ad get the latest info on the parts. There are no non-ABS final drives in the USA and we have no way of getting one in the timescale. I’m therefore going to order an ABS unit and a sensor from Portland BMW – ordering them VOR (Vehicle Off Road – BMW’s priority system) will ensure that they arrive on Friday at the latest. I ring Portland and place the order, paying by credit card*. By the time I’ve finished the admin, it’s midday. I head off south towards Yellowstone. My intention is to drive around the bits I missed last time I was here (mid April). Tomorrow I’ll drive over the Beartooth Pass.
I drive down towards the town of White Sulphur Springs – obviously named before they changed the spelling to sulfur
.
The 89 here is an excellent road and I am reminded (not for the last time) how much better this would be on the Adv…
I continue south and east - the hills to the left look fantastic – Montana Tourist Board photo stuff…
Soon I’m back in Yellowstone – it’s already 1830 and I’m absolutely knackered. I pull over in a parking area and close my eyes – I open them again and am surprised to see I’ve slept for an hour…
I realise I’m going to be stuffed for somewhere to stay if I don’t get a move on. I drive anti-clockwise around the loop road (which is 70 miles long and subject to a 45mph limit – as well as the limits set by crossing elk & buffalo…). Although the weather is generally good, there are isolated squally storms. As I drive past one of the many hot springs, the scene is like a picture of some vast underground factory…
I start racing a thunderstorm towards Cooke City. The sun goes down…
…bringing out the colours in the hills…
…and the wildlife…
…I arrive at Cooke City at 2200 and get the last room in the only motel still open – Phew! As I get into my cabin, the thunderstorm catches up with me and the night goes wild. The noise of the rain hitting my roof is deafening. There’s no phone in my room, so I venture back out to the office to use theirs - only to find the exchange has become a victim of the thunderstorm and is out for the count. Bugger. I wanted to ring Jorge tonight and check all was well with Portland BMW. No matter, I’ll try tomorrow evening…
*this will become significant – read on…
After a good night’s sleep, I ring Jorge ad get the latest info on the parts. There are no non-ABS final drives in the USA and we have no way of getting one in the timescale. I’m therefore going to order an ABS unit and a sensor from Portland BMW – ordering them VOR (Vehicle Off Road – BMW’s priority system) will ensure that they arrive on Friday at the latest. I ring Portland and place the order, paying by credit card*. By the time I’ve finished the admin, it’s midday. I head off south towards Yellowstone. My intention is to drive around the bits I missed last time I was here (mid April). Tomorrow I’ll drive over the Beartooth Pass.
I drive down towards the town of White Sulphur Springs – obviously named before they changed the spelling to sulfur
.
The 89 here is an excellent road and I am reminded (not for the last time) how much better this would be on the Adv…
I continue south and east - the hills to the left look fantastic – Montana Tourist Board photo stuff…
Soon I’m back in Yellowstone – it’s already 1830 and I’m absolutely knackered. I pull over in a parking area and close my eyes – I open them again and am surprised to see I’ve slept for an hour…
I realise I’m going to be stuffed for somewhere to stay if I don’t get a move on. I drive anti-clockwise around the loop road (which is 70 miles long and subject to a 45mph limit – as well as the limits set by crossing elk & buffalo…). Although the weather is generally good, there are isolated squally storms. As I drive past one of the many hot springs, the scene is like a picture of some vast underground factory…
I start racing a thunderstorm towards Cooke City. The sun goes down…
…bringing out the colours in the hills…
…and the wildlife…
…I arrive at Cooke City at 2200 and get the last room in the only motel still open – Phew! As I get into my cabin, the thunderstorm catches up with me and the night goes wild. The noise of the rain hitting my roof is deafening. There’s no phone in my room, so I venture back out to the office to use theirs - only to find the exchange has become a victim of the thunderstorm and is out for the count. Bugger. I wanted to ring Jorge tonight and check all was well with Portland BMW. No matter, I’ll try tomorrow evening…
*this will become significant – read on…
