In Red Lodge I met Tim, owner of Hog Wild motorcycle shop. I asked him if I could use his air compressor to blow out my air filter. The plan was to come in the next day. He said sure, but he would not be around in the morning. He then showed me how to get into the shop and run the air compressor. How trusting is that.
The next morning I went to Hog Wild and blew out my air filter. It is/was filthy. I've had no luck in getting a replacement from the distributor. I've created a work-around, but that will be noted in a future entry.
I found a coffee shop with free wifi and began planning my journey to Yellowstone. I also planned to get a new tire. The return to Yellowstone would involve backtracking over the Beartooth. I looked forward to riding the pass again. Instead of turning onto Chief Joseph Highway, I would bear west and run directly into Yellowstone's north entrance.
Finding a place to get a new tire was an issue. I could order it from Hog Wild and wait about a week or I could order it from a town "down the road" and get there when it arrived. I liked the latter idea. I checked out motorcycle dealers from Billings to Boise and settled on Two Wheelz in Butte, Montana. The calculus going into selecting this dealer, in this location, deserves a Master's dissertation. More on that later.
I spent several hours over two days emailing Matt, the owner of Two Wheelz. We settled on a tire, price, and date. I would see him soon.
I spent a second day exploring Red Lodge environs and a delightful evening with Clara and her sister. On night two we watched a movie. The house was about 100 degrees. The next morning I packed up to head back over the Beartooth to Yellowstone. I said my goodbyes with sadness and affection.
For reasons that are beyond me, I have no photos of Red Lodge or Clara. This is a grave omission I regret.
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