Tag Archives: US-14

2013_07_21 (Sun) On The Road Again

We slept in this morning.  We needed the extra rest before heading out.  Linda got the interior of the coach ready to travel while I prepped the exterior/systems.  I dumped the black and gray waste tanks and added fresh water to bring us up to 2/3 from 1/2 tank.  We try not to haul around the weight of waste water, but like to have enough fresh water on board that we could boondock unexpectedly for at least a few days if we the need arose.

Most of our Habitat For Humanity team planned to leave this morning, but none of them pulled out at sunrise (as many RVers are want to do).  Folks were out and about and wanted to have one last conversation, and one more chance to say “see you down the road”, before leaving.  There was talk of a reunion build next year, and I suggested that we all e-mail Steven and ask him to arrange that.  Peter D stopped by and thanked us for staying with him while working with HFH.  No matter how long the farewells, eventually there is nothing left to say or do except turn the key and drive away.  We pulled out of our spot at Peter D’s just before 10 AM MDT.

I had scoped out the Exxon station at I-90 exit 25 yesterday in case we needed to add diesel fuel.  They had just what we needed: convenient to the highway exit, a truck lane with easy access, dual large-nozzle pumps, and no overhead obstructions.  We had somewhere between 5/8 and 3/4 of a tank of diesel fuel.  I don’t like to get below 1/4 tank, so conservatively we had 3/8ths to 1/2 of a tank of useable fuel.  We have a 235 gallon tank, but I treat it as a 200 gallon one, so I figure 25 gallons per 1/8th tank.

Past calculations have indicated that we get about 6 mpg, so I figure on 5 mpg, again being conservative, and especially today as we have never driven the bus through high mountains before.  That works out to approximately 125 to 150 miles per 1/8th tank of fuel, or 375 to 450 miles based on what we currently had on board.  Our trip from Sheridan to Wapiti was calculated at 240 miles, so we had enough fuel on board to make that distance and still have sufficient reserves for an emergency detour or layover.  As we would be crossing the Bighorn Mountains, we did not want to carry unnecessary weight, so we decided we did not need to top off.

Perhaps it’s a holdover habit or frame of mind from when I used to fly airplanes 35 to 40 years ago, but I think such calculations are necessary when traveling in a vehicle that cannot just pull into the next filling station or convenience mart, assuming there even is one along the route, and fill up the fuel tank.  Generally speaking, the bus likes to stop here the big trucks do.  Not only is access good, but truck stops turn over their diesel fuel frequently, so it is generally fresh.

We got on I-90 at exit 23 and headed south to Buffalo where we picked up US-16 headed west over the Bighorn Mountains.  As previously posted, we had been advised not to take US-14 from Sheridan to Lovell as the grades are a little steeper and there are more switchbacks and hairpin turns, and fewer turnouts, than on US-16.  Having driven US-14 and US-14A in our car, we accepted the recommendation.

Going uphill into the Bighorns on US-16 west.

Going uphill into the Bighorns on US-16 west.

US-16 was a dramatically beautiful drive, but it was no walk in the park.  The road was good pavement with wide lanes, good signage, and lots of pullouts, albeit not always exactly where I needed or wanted them.  I had not driven the coach in mountains prior to this leg and US-16 started climbing as soon as we left Buffalo headed west.  It took me a while to figure out what gear to put the Allison 755CR (ATEC) transmission in, what RPM to try to hold, and what exhaust manifold temperatures, engine coolant temperatures, and vehicle speed to expect from that combination.  The engine got up to 210 degrees on this initial climb but I was able to find a pullout soon after and let it cool off.  That is the upper temperature limit for the heads, and I did not let it get that hot again.  The engine continued to run well all the way to our destination, so “no harm, no foul” (I hope).

Yes, that is snow on them thar hills.

Yes, that is snow on them thar hills.

With no prior mountain experience in this coach we really did not know what to expect from the Detroit Diesel 8V92TA engine.  Now we do, and I admit I was disappointed, which is to say, I was hoping for more performance.  It is, after all, a turbo-charged 450 HP 2-cycle diesel.  That sounds like a lot of engine, and it runs well on flatter ground, but in all fairness it was pushing a 40,000+ pound bus that was pulling a 4,000 pound car from 3,600 ft. ASL to 9,600 ft. ASL in a relatively short distance on a somewhat warm day.  On the plus side, it got us to Granite Pass at 9,630 ft. ASL, although I was in first gear turning 2,000 RPM and going about 20 MPH at that point.  Still, it got us there.

The altimeter app on Linda’s Samsung Galaxy S III; very cool, and so was the outside temperature.

The altimeter app on Linda’s Samsung Galaxy S III; very cool, and so was the outside temperature.

Going down the western side of the Bighorn Mountains on US-16, real slow

Going down the western side of the Bighorn Mountains on US-16, real slow.

What goes up must come down.  I have attended enough seminars at RV rallies to know that “whatever gear you use to climb the hill is the gear you use to descend the hill.”  I also knew the rule about braking on downgrades; “apply them hard to get your speed down quickly and then get off them to let them cool; do not ride your brakes or they will overheat and fail.”  I followed both rules coming down the western side of the Bighorns.  This stretch of US-16 has an 18 mile long section of frequent (perhaps continuous?) 6% grade.

Our engine has a two-stage transmission retarder instead of a Jacobs (Jake) Brake.  I have never driven a vehicle equipped with a Jake Brake, so I don’t know well they perform, but I rate the transmission retarder on our Allison transmission marginally effective.  At best it was not able to hold our downhill speed in check without the frequent application of the brakes.  At one point we started to get a slight bunt smell and I pulled into the next turnout to let the brakes cool.  I checked the passenger side front brake rotor with an infrared remote sensing temperature gun and got 750 degrees.  The passenger side tag axle brake rotor was about 600 degrees.  I couldn’t check the drive axle brakes because of the physical configuration of the dual wheels.  At another turnout I was slightly nose down and the emergency/parking brakes would not quite hold the coach, so I had to sit with my foot on the brakes while they cooled.

As on the climb up, I was often in 3rd or 2nd gear going down, and on the steepest descents I was in 1st gear going 16 to 20 MPH.  What I finally figured out was that I could let the RPMs get up to about 2,200, apply the brakes until the RPMs dropped to about 1,700, then let off the bakes and let the MPH and RPM creep back up, and then do it all over again, and again, and again.  The DD 8V92TA redlines at about 2,350 RPM, so that is a figure not to be exceeded, and is generally best avoided.

I have to admit that this was a stressful drive, not made any easier by the fact that it was past noon with bright sunshine heating up the front of the coach and no ability to use the OTR bus AC as we already lacked power for the climb.  Add to the mix that the chassis battery BAL (balance) light would flash on occasionally, indicating a possible problem the Vanner equalizer, and well…it was work.  But it was still beautiful.

We made it over the Bighorn’s and rolled through Tensleep headed for Worland.  We rolled through Worland too, but noticed what appeared to be a very nice museum.  It had a large statue of a Mastodon out front, so we presume the museum was dedicated to the natural wonders of the Bighorn Valley.  Apparently the Bighorn Valley has produced some world class dinosaur fossils.  Alas, we were anxious to make time and get to our destination, so we Nick Russell’d the museum and said we would have to return some day to see it.

The Bighorn Valley looks like the desert southwest in places.

The Bighorn Valley looks like the desert southwest in places.

US-16 joins up with US-20 at Worland whence they head north to Greybull.  This part of the drive was similar to the drive we did from Lovell to Greybull over a week ago.  The landscape is desolate but stunning and the road goes up and down long, rolling hills.  US-16/20 joins US-14 at Greybull and turns west towards Cody.  This part of the drive was relatively flat and visually less interesting than what we had seen up to that point.  It didn’t help that it was hot and I was tired, so I finally turned on the OTR bus AC.

We could see the Absaroka Range ahead of us, but it became more distinct as we neared Cody.  US-14/16/20 goes right through the heart of Cody, so we got a good look at the town as we drove through at 25 MPH, one of many RVs passing through.  Cody appeared to be a historic town with a modern vibe.  We decided we would take one of our days and drive to town and check it out.

US-14/16/20 continues west out of Cody and follows the Shoshone (Shoshoni) River through the Shoshone Canyon/Valley 50 miles to the East Entrance of Yellowstone N. P., where all three highways reach their western terminus.  Our destination, however, was the Green Creek Inn and RV Park in Wapiti, about 18 miles up the road from Cody.  Cody sits at 5,000 ft. ASL and Wapiti is at 5,700 ft. ASL, so we were climbing gently the whole way.

The three tunnels of Buffalo Bill Dam (middle tunnel not visible).

The three tunnels of Buffalo Bill Dam (middle tunnel not visible).

Not far out of Cody we drove through three tunnels in quick succession and reached the Buffalo Bill Dam and Reservoir.  We made a note to stop at the Visitor Center on a trip back to Cody (in the car).  The reservoir is large, with lovely water, surrounded by rock cliffs and dry, brown hillsides.  The contrast was striking.  There is a Wyoming state park along most of the north shore of the reservoir with two campgrounds, both of which were mostly empty.

Green Creek Inn & RV Park with Smith Mansion in the background.

Green Creek Inn & RV Park with Smith Mansion on the hill in the background.

Wapiti is more a dot on a map than an actual, distinct town, but it has a post office and one of the oldest continuously operating schools (currently K-5) in the nation. The Green Creek Inn and RV Park is on the far western edge of what is considered Wapiti, just past what claims to be the last filling station before reaching Yellowstone N. P.  It also sits in the shadow of the Smith Mansion, a very recognizable landmark on this route.

Parked in our site.  The Smith Mansion is right there!

Parked in our site. The Smith Mansion is right there!

We and another RV had to wait a short while to get into our sites while someone else finished unhooking and pulling out, but Jeff (the owner) got us both parked.  We then went about our usual arrival/encampment routine.  The Green Creek Inn and RV Park is a basic but nice place in a dramatic setting, and we have a 50A full-hookup site (one of two).  Our rig won’t fit in the campgrounds at Yellowstone N. P., so we will be driving there in our car.  Green Creek was the closest RV park to the East Entrance we could find.

The view to the north from our site.

The view to the north from our site.

The Smith Mansion was built by Lee Smith starting in 1973, and he worked on it until he fell to his death in 1992.  It is a log structure, more imagined than designed, and presents a striking image up on its hilltop setting.  Some of the timbers were harvested from nearby forests devastated by wild fires and it appears from a distance that other materials were probably salvaged.  It has fallen into serious disrepair over the last 21 years, made worse by vandals.  It is posted “private property” and is not open to the public at this time.  There is a trailer parked on the property with a caretaker/guard.  There is a foundation trying to raise funds to preserve, restore, and complete the house, as explained on their website.  The foundation was started by Smith’s daughter and her husband, but there is no indication of who actually owns the house/property, or who else is involved in the foundation.

 

2013_07_12 (Fri) The Bighorn Mountains

Our normal work schedule for HFH is Tuesday through Saturday.  The schedule was changed due to the activities connected to the Sheridan Wyo Rodeo (pancake breakfast, bed races, parade, etc.) and we had today off in exchange for working next Monday.  Angel was throwing a Bar-B-Que after the parade and our HFH team was invited for lunch.  One of the challenges we face when doing group activities is that our food choices are often limited, and sometimes non-existent, unless we bring something.  Such were the food offerings today.

The change in schedule was fortuitous for us as the closing on the sale of our old house was scheduled for 10:00 AM EDT today back in Michigan (8:00 AM MDT in Sheridan).  Our daughter handled the signing of documents on our behalf, but we wanted to be available by phone or e-mail in case anything came up.  Everything was arranged properly, and shortly after 9:00 AM (our local time) we got the “thumbs up” that the transaction was concluded.

Linda and I opted out of the Wyo Rodeo activities and went for an all-day drive through the northern Wyoming Bighorn Mountains.  US-14 and US-14A are National Scenic Byways that we wanted to see, but we had been told, and read, that they were not friendly for large RVs and should be avoided by larger/heavier rigs in particular.

Coming into the Bighorn Mountains on US-14

Coming into the Bighorn Mountains on US-14

US-14 connects Ranchester and Dayton, Wyoming on the east side of the Bighorn Mountains to Greybull, Wyoming on the west side.  It has numerous switchbacks and some 7% and 8% grades, but is used by semis, as we saw today.  We also saw four full-size Prevost buses (H3-45’s) during the day, so we know vehicles that size can use this route if they have enough power to go uphill and good enough brakes to come back down.

US-14A warning sign at Burgess Junction.

US-14A warning sign at Burgess Junction.

Part way across US-14, traveling east to west, is Burgess Junction.  US-14A starts at Burgess Junction and goes north and then west to Lovell, Wyoming.  It has numerous warnings at both ends and along its full length for semi’s, motorhomes, and any other vehicles pulling trailers.  Like US-14, it has switchbacks and tight turns, but the road is good and seemed wide enough to be drivable.  In fact we saw a couple of semi’s along the way (climbing eastbound and going real slow.)  The major hazard is a 13 mile stretch on the west side of the range that features long stretches of 10% grade going downhill when traveling west.  There are several mandatory brake check areas, and a couple of runaway truck stops, which always give one pause for thought.

Observation Point on US-14A.

Observation Point on US-14A.

The summit of this drive was Observation Point at 9430 feet ASL, between Burgess Junction and the turnoff to the Bighorn Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark.  The Observation Point turnout provides the first view of the Bighorn Valley that lies between the Bighorn Mountains and the Absaroka Range on the eastern edge of Yellowstone N. P.  Clouds were blowing up the side of the mountains from below us, and it was refreshingly cool.

View SW from Observation Point.

View SW from Observation Point.

Open range above 9000 feet!

Open range above 9000 feet!

Approaching the Medicine Wheel turnoff.  FAA facility on top of mountain.

Approaching the Medicine Wheel turnoff. FAA facility on top of mountain.

The car, with Linda at the wheel, handled the road just fine.  Besides the scenery, which was great, one of the reasons we went this way was to see the Bighorn Medicine Wheel, an archeological site that is still in use by Native Americans today.  To get to the Bighorn Medicine Wheel site, we took a steep, narrow, curvy, dirt road 1.5 miles to a U. S. Forest Service station.  Four-wheel drive is not necessary, but four-wheel stop is.

USFS station at the Medicine Wheel.

USFS station at the Medicine Wheel.

From the station parking lot there are two gravel roads, one to the FAA facility on top of the mountain you see driving in, and another one that goes to the actual Medicine Wheel.  The road to the Wheel is closed to all vehicles except those displaying handicapped tags, so we hiked the final 1.5 miles.  The USFS station is at 9500 feet ASL and there is some up and down before reaching the Wheel at 9,956 feet ASL, which makes it the highest medicine wheel in North America.  The sun was intense when not obscured by clouds and parts of the road were exposed to wind, which was strong.  The air temperature was very cool, but we walked briskly and were comfortable.

A view from the road hiking to the Medicine Wheel.

A view from the road hiking to the Medicine Wheel.

The final climb to the Medicine Wheel.

The final climb to the Medicine Wheel.

Yup, we were pretty high up.

Yup, we were pretty high up.

Note: We forgot to bring jackets.  Rule number one about any mountains, always bring adequate clothing.  Rule #2; wear adequate hiking boots or shoes.  Rule #3; bring water.  We missed on all three today,  L but I was recalled having learned some years ago in wilderness survival training that most cases of hypothermia occur between 40 and 60 degrees F, particularly when people get wet (or sweaty) in a windy situation.

An aerial view of the Medicine Wheel (from a display board).

An aerial view of the Medicine Wheel (from a display board).

The Bighorn Medicine Wheel is an archeological site because its construction and initial use pre-dates any written record or oral history of the area.  The best estimate is that it was constructed around 1200 C.E. by people who had subsequently disappeared from the region long before “modern” Indian tribes moved in.  It is made of rocks placed on the ground in the shape of a wheel 80 feet in diameter with 28 spokes, making it the largest medicine wheel in North America.  It has a rock cairn at the center hub, and six smaller cairns spaced around the perimeter.  Its origin and purpose are unknown, but the nature of the site suggests that it served both astronomical and spiritual functions, and it is the later that continues today.

Approaching the Medicine Wheel.

Approaching the Medicine Wheel.

The Bighorn Medicine Wheel is worth the trouble it takes to get there, but like many archeological sites, you might be underwhelmed if you don’t understand what you are going to see and appreciate when/where/how/why it was built.

The spokes and cairns of the Medicine Wheel.

The spokes and cairns of the Medicine Wheel.

The view to the west from the Medicine Wheel.

The view to the west from the Medicine Wheel.

Besides the Wheel itself, we experienced being above the tree line and above the base of some clouds.  The views were magnificent in all directions, and although it was hazy to the west, we could clearly see the Bighorn River valley spread out below, and the Absaroka mountains of the Yellowstone N. P. area on the other side of the valley over 100 miles away.

Bruce at Medicine Wheel.

Bruce at Medicine Wheel.

 

As we backed out of our parking spot I heard a loud screech.  I got out of the car and checked each wheel position as Linda moved the car backwards and forwards.  The screech was coming from the passenger-side rear disc brakes.  I tapped on the caliper with my hammer and gravel fell onto the inside of the wheel rim.  I repeated this until I stopped getting gravel.  Linda tested the brakes again, and they were fine, another example of a potential problem resolved.  We pulled out and headed for Lovell, Wyoming, the western terminus of US-14A.

Brake check ahead on US-14A!

Brake check ahead on US-14A!

The drive from the Medicine Wheel turnoff going west is where US-14A becomes a challenging drive with a long stretch of 10% downhill grade.  There are brake check turnouts, and runaway truck ramps, and just to make matters more interesting, as if the scenery weren’t distracting enough, it’s open range.

10% grade on US-14A!

10% grade on US-14A!

More open range on US-14A!

More open range on US-14A!

As we came out of the mountains into the Bighorn River valley, we left the Bighorn National Forest and entered the Bighorn Recreation area.  The river is obviously dammed somewhere and we crossed the reservoir and headed towards Lovell.

Bighorn Rec Area Reservoir.

Bighorn River Recreation Area Reservoir.

Before we got to Lovell we stopped at the Bighorn Recreation Area Visitor Center, and made some follow-up phone calls pertaining to our house sale.  By then it was almost 2:00 PM, so we found a Blimpies Sub Shop in Lovell and split a veggie sub.  Wyoming 37 heads north out of Lovell along Bighorn Canyon, which we would have liked to see, but our return route to Sheridan was via US-14, so we took US-310 south to Greybull, Wyoming.  Although not marked as a scenic drive, this stretch of US-310 was very interesting.  Except along the Bighorn River and Shell Creek the valley is arid and reminded us of the dessert southwest; stark but beautiful in its own, otherworldly way.

Heading into Shell Canyon.

Heading into Shell Canyon.

We headed east on US-14, and stopped in  Greybull to change drivers as Linda’s right hip and leg were bothering  her.  (This tends to happen if she drives for too long.)  We crossed the river and started climbing back up into the Bighorn Mountains.  As we got into the mountains we found ourselves following Shell Creek along the floor of Shell Canyon.  This stretch of the highway was very dramatic, and the roadway was somewhat narrower with tighter blind curves.  Eventfully the road left the floor of the canyon and climbed up the sides of the mountains, getting more and more dramatic with each bend in the road, the canyon walls and mountain peaks still looming high above us.

Shell Canyon.

Shell Canyon.

Shell Falls Visitor Center.

Shell Falls Visitor Center.

On both US-14 and US-14A we often had the road to ourselves, and even the scenic pullouts were often empty.  Thus we were surprised when we came upon the Shell Falls Visitor Center.  The large parking lot was almost full and the place was crawling with people.  (So that’s where everybody was!).  We pulled in anyway and watched a Trafalgar Tours Prevost H3-45 disgorge a large number of sightseers.  (We saw four 45 foot tour buses on US-14, so large RVs can obviously do this route as long as they have the necessary power and braking.)  We waited in line to get our “passport” stamped and then hiked around the site, which was actually quite stunning.

Nearing the top of Shell Canyon.

Nearing the top of Shell Canyon.

After leaving Shell Falls, the road continue to climb and the canyon eventually gave way to the broad mountain meadows that cover the top of this part of the Bighorn Mountains.  The grade on US-14 reaches 7 – 8% in places, but takes more miles to change elevation than US-14A does.

 

On top of the Bighorn Mountains (almost).

On top of the Bighorn Mountains (almost).

We went through Granite Pass at 9033 feet ASL, and started our descent towards Burgess Junction, and eventually Dayton, Ranchester, and finally back to Sheridan.  The whole trip was approximately 240 miles and took about 9 hours.

 

 

 

Although it was 6:00 PM when we got back to Peter D’s RV Park, four members of our HFH team were having an extended social hour so we poured a couple of glasses of wine and joined them.  Dinner could wait.

 

2013_06_26 (Wed) Devil’s Tower N. M.

We had decided last night that we would switch to tourist mode today and drive over to Devil’s Tower National Monument.  I had been there twice before; first with my parents when I was about 10 years old, and then with our son when he was the same age (25 years ago).  It was Linda’s first visit, however, and we were both excited to be going there.

Devil's Tower N. M.

Devil’s Tower N. M.

It is only 61 miles from Gillette to the monument, and we had a nice morning for a drive.  We headed out around 9:00 AM and were there by 10:30 AM.  We stamped our NPS “passport” and then hiked the 1.3 mile trail around the tower at the base of the boulder field.  This is a paved trail with some up and down.  It is mostly shaded by the pine forest that surrounds the tower, but there are sunny stretches as well.  The base of the tower is actually higher in elevation than the surrounding Belle Fourche river valley, and the trail afforded a number of nice vistas.  There are resting spots with benches and a couple of spotting tubes as well.  The weather was nice for hiking and photography, with blue skies and wonderful clouds.  We finished our hike around noon, and left the monument headed for Hewlett to the north.

A view of Devil's Tower from the trail around the base.

A view of Devil’s Tower from the trail around the base.

Hewlett is a very picturesque little town with an “old west” look to it.  We were there because we had a tourist map that showed a number of different loop drives in the area.  One of them appeared to use a road from Hewlett south to Sundance, but the map must have printed incorrectly as the road did not exist as near as we could tell.  Instead continuing on to Aladdin, whose main (only) attraction is the general store, we decided to back track past the monument to Sundance.  It’s always interesting driving a road in the opposite direction as the views are different, and we had some very good ones of the tower.

The Crook Co. Museum is in the basement of the county courthouse in Sundance.  A fellow RVer had been there early last week and recommended it.  It’s free, which is always a bonus.  Some of the exhibits have to do with Harry Longabough, AKA “The Sundance Kid”, who was tried and sentenced to 18 months in jail in the Crook County court.  This was the kind of small/local museum that Nick & Terry Russell often visit and write about in The Gypsy Journal, their RV travel newspaper.  The old high school building is being refurbished to serve as the new home of the museum.  It should be very nice when finished, and worth a return visit if/when we are back in the area.

We headed back to Gillette and decided to take a quick auto tour of the main downtown area.  In so doing, we came acres the Rockpile Museum, so named because of the large, natural rock formation at its entrance which served as a landmark for a nearby lake in earlier cattle-drive days.  This museum told the story of the settling of Campbell County, of which Gillette is the county seat.  It was yet another instance of a nice small/local museum with free admission.

On the drive back to Gillette I studied the official Wyoming state highway map (Linda is doing the tourist driving) and pondered how we would get from Sheridan to Wapiti (Waa pity) on July 21st.  The most direct route is US-14, but our neighbor John said they had been told to avoid US-14 and take US-16 out of Buffalo instead.  Both routes cross the Bighorn Mountains, and US-16 has the slightly higher pass (9,665 ft vs. 9,033 ft), but when it comes to mountain roads altitude isn’t everything.  We got online and searched for information and found the RVCruiser website, which had a detailed discussion of the various routes around and through the Bighorn Mountains.  The information there confirmed what John had been told; the grades on US-16 are long/gradual, the turns moderate, and there are areas to pull off and admire the scenery while the engine or brakes cool off.  Not so on US-14, which has hairpin turns, steeper grades, and few if any pull outs.  After US-16, the alternatives were end-arounds (very long detours) to the north or south.

While researching this route we also saw a reference to “three tunnels” as you head west on US-20 from Cody towards the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  Tunnels?  Yikes!  Again we went online looking for information on width and height restrictions but had trouble finding anything official.  I checked the website for the Green Creek Inn & RV Park where we will be staying, and it mentioned the tunnels as well.  A quick call to them confirmed that we would be able to clear the tunnels without difficulty.  With our minds put at ease, we turned in for the night.