by Duane Carling
I had a rare 3 days with no commitments over the July 20 – 21 weekend. Wow. This sounds like a road trip. Publisher Brock Yates and the editors of Car & Driver Magazine once declared U.S. Hwy 89, from Mexico to the Canadian border to be the most beautiful road in America.
From the California deserts, to the Utah National Parks, to Jackson, Yellowstone and Glacier, it’d definitely be a tough act to beat. I’ve done the south end, and gone as far north as Jellystone, but that last couple hundred miles has eluded me. Perfect for a 3 day trip.
You can start to feel the Old West vibe as you enter Star Valley, Wyoming. Jackson Hole, and the Saddle Rock Saloon/theatre was my first stop. My daughter Shelley performed there for several years., and one evening the owner of the place, Vickie Garnik, figured out that Suzanne and I taught her 9th grade Arts & Crafts, at Orem Jr. High about 1969, when we were student teaching partners. Small world. Since it was mid morning, and nothing much was happening, I said my hello/goodbyes and pressed on.
What can you say about Yellowstone. Beautiful vistas, geysers, buffalo, and great stories of Mountain Men, Grizzlies and Injuns. Pretty much has it all.
As it turned out, this weekend was the 50thh anniversary of the U.S moon landing. Perhaps Americas greatest achievement and defining moment. “Tranquility base…the Eagle has landed.” was all over the satellite radio. One of the 50’s stations I listen to even pulled every 45 they had with MOON in the title, and played them all day long. There were quite a few … who’da thunk. Some commentators speculated that we couldn’t do a moon shot today. “The country is too fractured.” Do you remember Viet Nam and Watts, back in the day ?
Leaving the North entrance of Yellowstone, surrounded by buffalo, I was feeling pretty patriotic, and blessed the now departed Brock for inspiring this trip. I met him a few a times and even had a car or two in the magazine. The O.V.C. Mustang with “my” suspension made the front cover in June of ’18. I’m a fan of the rag.
During the disastrous 70’s when The Peanut Farmer instigated the 55 MPH speed limit., Brock, in a great UP YOURS move, put together The Cannonball Run. A cross country run what ya brung race, on public roads from New York City to Redondo Beach CA. It was run a handful of times, and spawned a handful of movies. I’ve had friends in both. The record time was about 35 hours, and the only rules were, there are no rules. What could be more American than that?
Who says we can’t land on the moon? Just get outta my way !
The small town of Gardiner MT , is just outside the park, and there is a bench and a plaque in front of Kellem’s Montana Saddlery honoring C & D Editor Larry Griffin. Kellem’s The place to go for custom chaps, hand made saddles, or a great Stetson. Larry was one of my favorite writer/photographers, and Kellems was apparently about the only place he felt at home. Larry had some emotional problems, and died in a nursing home at age 63. R.I.P. Larry. “it gives a lovely light”
If you stay on 89, like you’re supposed to, you’ll come to Glacier National Park and Going To The Sun Road, which was my announced destination. I’d heard that Bear Tooth Pass , at almost 11,000 feet just outside of Red Lodge was pretty spectacular also, so I took a little detour. It’s about 200 miles out of the way, but hey, we’re among friends here. A really amazing road, especially considering it was all done with horses, picks, shovels and black powder.
As I came off the mountain into Red Lodge I ran smack in the middle of the Bear Tooth Motorcycle Rally. Now In It’s 20thh Year. This was an unexpected treat, “All the fun of Sturgis, but without the hassle” it said. Red Lodge only has about 2,000 residents, and they seem to have made the thousands of bikers feel right at home
“This here bar has live bands with Old Time Rock and Roll , and that ‘n over there has Classic Country. And there’s more down the street.” Everywhere I looked there were Harleys decked in leather, chrome, American flags and screaming eagles. This here was real Americana, even for those obviously not from here. Brock Yates (again) wrote a book about 20 years ago titled: OUTLAW MACHINE: HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THE SEARCH FOR THE AMERICAN SOUL. Apparently the search is still on.
I‘ve read stories about Harley losing its mojo with the younger generation. Harleys only appeal to the silver hairs, so they say. But all the bikers and biker’ettes I met were in the prime 35 to 55 year demographic, and they seemed to have money to spend. Have you looked at the price of leather pants lately?
But on the other hand, maybe all the silver hairs just turned in early.
Wind me up, shoot me out, and headed down the highway, with the motel free coffee, looking for a Mom & Pop place on 89 to buy a little breakfast. My personal economic theory is the mom & pop grass roots businesses are the canary in the coal mine for the economic health of our nation. Forget the DOW. If Mama ain’t happy, we’re headin’ for bad times.
How about the Inconvenience Store in tiny Neihart . Grandma behind the counter told me business has never been better. Visitors and locals have money and seem happy to spend it. “Our motto is if we don’t have it, you probably didn’t really need it anyway.” Seems like wisdom to me. “And yes, the phone booth outside still works, and has for a long time.” I’m betting that booth is the only connection with the outside world for more than a few locals. How would it be? My I.T. guy would surely starve here.
One of the things I like about rural 89, is a lot of things seem to have been there for a long time. I stopped to check out this sign, and sure nuf, it was real porcelain on steel. Good thing I only carry metric tools now-a days.
I hardly got back on the road when I about ran into this beautiful family of Indian ponies. Indians, OK …Native Americans…. supposedly bred these horses for beauty, speed and endurance. When fully grown they could out run bears, wolves and mountain lions. Must be so, or they wouldn’t be standing here. I guess the braves just booted them off the Rez when pick up trucks became available.
It surely is good to see everything so green. The hay this year is spectacular. At this latitude the sun goes down about 11 P.M. and is up again about 4. The creeks and reservoirs are chuck full, the cattle are fat. It’s going to be a good harvest.
I saw a little place named Route 89 Bar, so I thought I’d better stop for a late lunch before climbing over Glacier, which takes about 3 hours. When I told the gal behind the bar the purpose of my trip she said I should buy a tee shirt and offered to model it for me. I don’t need another shirt, but I did offer to buy the sign she was standing in front of. Sorry, some things are not for sale.
The Going To The Sun Road crosses over LOGAN PASS at about 6,600 feet elevation. It’s a lot closer to the Pacific and is a lot greener than Bear Tooth. You decide which is the most spectacular. Both should probably be done on a motorcycle at least once in your life. As I was checking in at the gate a young couple from Thailand asked if they could ride over the pass in the back of my pick up truck. Sure…it’s the best seat in the house !
Amazing trip, and an amazing feat of road building. Again, nothing but muscle, imagination, and black powder.
As I got to the west side and the exit gate, a dang RAINBOW (!) totally blocked the road, and we all had to bail out to get a picture. I’m saying it’s a sign of prosperity for our country.
“Tranquility base here, we have lift off, lift off for another 50 years of American greatness.
THE EAGLE STILL FLIES.
