At the foot of the mountains in Montana

If the trip had to end now, it would still deserve 5 stars. From the minute we wake up to when we finally go to bed, the scenery is simply mesmerizing. Then, there is the riding. Oh, what fun.

We took our time to do laundry, have a hearty breakfast, and clean up at the Bear Lodge in the Big Horn National Forest. We were also waiting for the weather to warm up a bit. We then continued to climb up the road and reached more than 9,000 feet above sea level (3000 meters). There was still snow around! We then set out to enjoy the view as we rode the steep descent to the Big Horn Basin. You don't want to make a mistake on these roads.

Once in the Basin, we were on our way to Red Lodge, Montana. Before we had to get there, though, the Ducati had to endure five very rough miles. There was construction on the road, and there was no road. My bike, unlike the BMW 1200GS and Kawasaki Versys, is NOT made for this. It still made it and was happy to find some smooth curves ahead. We got to the town with plenty of sunshine left to go have a bite and then look for a place to camp. We brought some leftover pizza on my bike to the site in the Custer National Forest. It should make for a tasty breakfast if the bears don't eat it first.

Next, we tackle the Beartooth Pass, one of the most scenic roads in the US. We are really wondering, how better can it get?