In June of 2007, I decided to do something that seemed crazy, at least to me, and headed off for Montana from my home in the Hill Country of Texas on a used and untested motorcycle, even worse, with an untested rider. I'd grown up riding dirt bikes and briefly owned a street bike in the early 90's, but had never ridden more than a couple of hours on roads, much less for days or weeks. I had no experience in long distance travel.
The hill country of Texas has many beautiful, twisty roads, a rarity in the state, and I'd decided a motorcycle would be a great way to really enjoy them. Tentatively, I'd purchased a well-used 1998 BMW R1100GS that had been sitting for a couple of years covered with dust in a corner of a car repair shop in the Dallas area. I had a dealer replace a few dry rotted parts and took it home with intentions to use it for short rides until the motorcycle proved itself, and I got used to riding again. As time and work would have it, in several months of ownership I'd only been able to make a few minor rides of an hour or two, and found the year quickly slipping past.
One evening on a phone call with a friend in California, she mentioned her family lived in Montana and suggested I ride up, stay with them and see some of Montana. I'd always wanted to go to Montana, but the logistics, lack of experience and an untested moto all added up to a big "No." However, the idea rolled around in my mind for a month or so and I found myself looking at Google maps and the spectacular terrain on the way north from Texas.
With an equal mix of fear and excitement, I decided to do something crazy and ride the motorcycle to Montana.
My biggest fear was whether the motorcycle would make it or leave me broken down 500 miles from someone who could repair the German beast. But then again, if everything was safe and easy life would have no adventure and adventure is what I sorely needed at that point in life.
I began to read travel blogs and made notes about routes to take, all of which added up to between 2,300 and 2,500 miles to Missoula. I had never been north of Colorado, never seen Yellowstone or anything of the beautiful areas in Wyoming, Montana or Idaho. A route was formed, loosely, that would take me somewhat quickly through Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park, then through Wyoming, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Scenic Byway before launching into Montana in earnest.
Since the decision was now made, next came the hard part, deciding what was needed for the trek: spare parts, clothing, camping gear and more. Trying to guess what might be required and assembling it in a form small enough to carry on a motorcycle would be a challenge.