Rubber side down, down on the rubber side 🏞️🏍️

Today was all about Yellowstone Park. Starting from the western entrance and exiting through the east, the park is an endless spectrum of jaw-dropping views, hot springs, smells of sulfur, big blue skies, and tourists… slow-ass tourists. My bike revolted by the end of the day and let me know it was time to move! For the first time, I realized I have a bike that truly reflects my personality - wanting to be on the go, high-revved, energetic, and finicky.

I tried to see the southern rim of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, but there was a slow line ahead of us. The bike started running hot and choppy, so I turned around and got out of there.

We (Beaute Noir and I) survived the crowds with the help of cool temperatures, patience, and frequent stops. I’m so glad we weren’t there two weeks later.

The day focused on four key spots - Fountain Paint Pot, Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Mud Volcano. The theme for each - the hot stuff 🔥. There’s something about watching hot water and mud spots bubbling to the earth’s surface that grabs my attention. The combination of hot water, salt, and microorganisms creates a phenomenal array of colors, especially orange and blue. I wanted to stare at it all day.

While riding between each stop, I took helmet shots 📸 - 68 of them! A personal single-day record, and Yellowstone is the appropriate place to do so. While a couple of idiot drivers stopped in random places to roll down their windows and take pictures from the driver’s seat, I clicked a button while in motion.

This morning, I performed my normal bike inspection and noticed significant wear on my rear tire. I used the time before Old Faithful’s eruption at 10:37 am ⏰ to call the nearest BMW dealership (in Sturgis, SD) to schedule an appointment tomorrow afternoon for some new rubber. So while I kept the rubber side down today, I’m down on the rubber side.

This means I have a 6 am departure tomorrow morning to get to Sturgis by 2 pm (360 miles), with room for sufficient time for stops and breaks.