My Program Directer and Morning man Jeff Michaels at CJCY 102.1 The Lounge, played a song by Bobby McFerrin. "Don't Worry, Be Happy". It actually made me tingle, gave me goosebumps and made me smile as I snapped my fingers and sang along to the song. Talk about a feel good ripple just from a song. 
was colder than can be....
K, I'm tapped out, lol - been blogging for 2 days straight but I want to get this wrapped up as the trip was winding down and has wrapped up almost 2 months ago. It was our final day in the US being able to ride without helmets, but we probably should have worn them just to keep our heads warm. It was the coolest day so far and I was not only cold but still tired. Maybe 2 week vacations are too much for me, because I am wiped and could have fallen asleep on the back of the bike. We stopped for lunch at the same place in Grass Range on day 2 and were back on the road again. With me not staying focused on the ride, and not keeping the GPS handy, we missed our shortcut turn to Fort Belknap and ended up headed to Malta instead. We stopped to fill up with gas and drop a 20 in the slots at the casino next door as the drizzle began. Hoping it would pass, we realized we were headed straight for it no matter what. 
onning our rain gear, we continued to Havre only stopping once along the way for cheap cigarettes and then checked into the Best Western Annex. We dined at the Duck Inn again and it was straight to bed (and watch the weather channel) I can't believe how tuckered I am. Move over Lewis and Clark - One more sleep!
ctually I was dead to the world and slept in til past 10 and my camera battery was dead also. Have gone through both I brought and didn't bring the charger so pictures from here on in are from the web. We had to change plans about going to Yellowstone National Park since a) we were running short on time and b) weather was turning for the worse. Rather than head northwest towards the rain, we decided to head back to Billings instead. We arrived in time for an early supper at Red Lobster and after driving around for at least an hour, found room at the Inn, the C'mon Inn. 
Sweet! Perfectly rhymes with dancing, or should it rhyme with drumming? I've googled the lyrics to the song and discovered two different versions but i'll stick with this since it's the day before my birthday and romance is in the air, as well as the moon above Devil's Tower. 
After slathering ourselves in sunscreen, we "head out on the highway" (looking for adventure - like we haven't found enough yet eh?) towards Gillette, Wy for lunch. It was strange riding the red highways of Wyoming after spending the last week in the "Black" Hills of South Dakota it was strange to ride the Red Highways of Wyoming and return to the flat prairie like landscape. Felt a lot like home. Gillette is a coal mining town, and Ray was astounded at the size of the open mines and I am sure we will definetly return someday for a tour so he can fully embrace the magnitude of the operation. Working in a gas field, with everything underground, is quite a different mode of harvesting energy in comparison, and with a windmill farm being planned near his farm, it's quite intriguing to say the least. Anyhoo, I'm kinda paraphrasing but Ray has given me the okay to publish this so I'm all cool and he's down with that! 
After lunch at Taco John's, it was back on the road which changed from straight and narrow to long and winding (went from quoting steffenwolf to the beatles now). We were planning on heading up to Sheridan and over to Cody but discovered, thanks to the GPS, that it was shorter to head southwest from Buffalo and also thanks to the locals, we even ignored the GPS and took their recommended shortcuts. The terrain on the drive reminded us of the drive from Lethbridge to Calgary, plains on the east, foothills and rockies to the west. Not exactly the magnatude of the Canadian Rockies, but still a part of them. I didn't realize they extended so far south, but then again I haven't picked up a geography book in ages, You would think the queen of google would know these things! ha! One is never too old to learn! 
We rode on through the prairies and the canyons to Cody, Wy and looked for a place to rest for the night so after dinner, and many phone calls in search of a jaccuzi suite, we got ready to settle in for the night. Ray asked me if I wanted a suite tonight or tomorrow, the night of my birthday (what's wrong with both?) and I chose tonight, for I would wake on my birthday to a huge tub to soak my aching muscles. It's not only hard on the driver but the rider on the back as well on such long trips. But then again, it's not all about me. Today is our anniversay (3 years, 11 months) We always celebrate it monthly, whether it's something extravegant like a jaccuzi suite or simply a card and an I love you, Sept 12th is OUR day!
We ended up at Buffalo Bill's Antler Inn. There were antler coat racks and antler chandeliers, but it would be better named Buffalo Bill's Tree Hotel. (hmm, sounds like a hotel for trees so maybe not) As you can see, the bed and frame is made of natural trees, as were the lamps, desk and vanity legs in the bathroom. There was the biggest (and greenest) jacuzzi tub that was calling my name. I had a wonderfully long soak while Ray went in search of...I can't remember now. May have been food, mix, bike wash or all three. It didn't matter at the time. The only thing that mattered to me was hot, steamy bubbly water and a soft warm bed. I was out like a light before midnight. Here my birthday was beginning and I'm already dreaming of the day to come.
This morning we rode back down Vanocker Canyon to tour Wonderland Cave. I remember touring one, quite possibly Rushmore Cave, with my family during summer vacation as a kid and wanted to show Ray. I don't think he was too enthusiastic about it, nor was he thrilled about having to take the bike down a long, LONG gravel road. Then we ending up having to wait before the tour began for more people to join, but our group ended up just being 3 other ladies from Michigan and us, so it ended up not taking as long as expected. Nothing like power touring to get as much in as fast as possible! In the end, it was all worth it!
here were so many different types of stalagmites growing up from the floor and stalagtites growing down from the ceiling, and sometimes meeting in the middle. You would think once you've seen one you've seen them all, but the the tour guide not only had the correct names for each type but nick names for certain formations as well. There was bacon, the bat, popcorn, bugs bunny with carrots, and I even named one myself they missed and brought their attention to, and who knows, maybe next time they do a tour, they will use it! Benjamin Franklin! How fitting for the history of the area but gee you'd think an American would have caught that one rather than a Canadian - lol) He's just missing his glasses no?
fter touring the cave, we headed back to the Nemo Road and the 385 to Deadwood to tour Mount Moriah Cemetary where Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane are buried. We even hiked to the top off the bluff to see Seth Bullock's grave, that overlooked Mount Roosevelt, where Seth had erected a monument after the death of hiss friend President Roosevelt and renamed the peak in honour of his late friend.
on the agenda was to head back to Leads in search of The Boars Nest. I thought it was between Leads and Deadwood, but it was between Leads and Spearfish Canyon After stopping for directions, we found it, and even the owner was there. We may have missed all the action when it was open during the bike rally, but he was able to spend time telling us the history, the fire and the plan for the future. After buying a t-shirt for Morgan & Dee (owners of The Boars Nest in Seven Persons) we headed back to Leads and stopped at the Stampmill for lunch before touring the Adams Museum in Deadwood. 
leaving town, Ray got a chance to play poker at the Franklin Inn once again and I got to do some more shopping, okay we both did, and at the end of the day, we stopped for a beer at The Stockade to watch the entertainment, and breathe in our last breath of Deadwood. Even with all the foul language of the HBO series, it still was a great show and peaked our interest enough to want to visit South Dakota. How convenient that it's so close to the biggest motorcycle rally in North America. More like how lucky for us - even with all the bad weather and back luck of singers falling off the stage!
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