Black Hills / Bighorn / Yellowstone Tour 2011

[75TwinCam]

All you guys in your fancy trailers . . . Perhaps I can be in line with your fancy rigs in the simple seven. Maybe you'll have room for a jerry can or two?

 

Gotta admit that I'm thinking the drive across Wyoming has me thinking I'll finally get the Simpson Bandit (white, of course) that I've been eyeing.

[bsimon]

Derek,

 

I'll have plenty of room for your gas, beer, and luggage.

[Z3 Stalker]

I would like to join the group in Custer for the time it will spend there; I just have to make sure my schedule will allow but will not know until closer to the date. I would trailer my Stalker down and would travel with Lancylad all being well.

[scannon]

Derek,

 

Talk to Jeff, he cannot stay as long in Custer as Tom and I are planning, maybe he can ride back with you.

 

I also have room for your extra luggage but no guarantee your beer will arrive intact.

[lancylad]

Good to hear Stewart. Hope your schedule allows you come along. Would be good traveling with you. We shall get together and talk over a cool one. Still at the coast taking care of business. Will call you on our return. Steve

[squarefour]

Tina at Storage Stables ((307) 733-6876) said they should be able to accommodate a few tow rigs and trailers. She said to call again a couple weeks beforehand so they can make space available. It's about six miles from Ranch Inn. The fee will be $75/rig.

 

Ranch Inn definitely did NOT want to store a trailer for that time.

[squarefour]

Hotel reservations made!

[slomove]

For all who have voiced interest in this trip: Please let me know by private message if your status changes. While not officially an organized tour I would still like to know who may be there and how to reach everybody. So, if you don't mind please write me your cell phone number and email (credit card and social security numbers not needed ).

 

Gert B. SoCal, Birkin (hotels reserved)

Dion D. SoCal, Locost (hotels reserved)

Lancylad Alberta, Westfield (hotels reserved, Black Hills only)

Randall Z. SoCal, Birkin (hotels reserved)

Chuck Sp. Michigan, Ultralite (pretty sure)

Bill G. NorCal, Stalker (highly likely)

Herb Utah, Birkin (highly likely, part only)

Lee Utah, Birkin (highly likely, part only)

Dick B. Texas, Birkin (likely)

Skip C. / Tom M. / Jeff B. Colorado, sharing a Caterham and a truck (likely, Black Hills only)

Bob S. Colorado, Caterham (likely, Black Hills only)

Tom C. Colorado, Birkin (likely, Black Hills only)

Derek W. Colorado, Lotus (likely, Black Hills only)

Stewart G. Alberta, Stalker (maybe, Black Hills only)

Al N. New Jersey, Lotus (will Bessie be ready?)

Ed H. So. Carolina, Caterham (thinking about it)

SolderGuy Georgia, Rotus (possibly)

Edited February 5, 2011 by slomove

[rzempel]

Gert,

 

I'm booking motels now, and have discovered a problem....on the 18th, you list the hotel as Best Western, but that phone number is actually to the "Hulett Motel." http://www.hulettmotel.com/

 

Which one is it?

 

Mon, 7/18/2011 Deadwood, SD - Hulett, WY 146 miles Sturgis, Spearfish Canyon, Sundance, Devil's Tower N.M.

Best Western Devils Tower Inn 229 Highway 24, Hulett, Wyoming 82720 307-467-5220 $104.39

[slomove]

Gert,

 

I'm booking motels now, and have discovered a problem....on the 18th, you list the hotel as Best Western, but that phone number is actually to the "Hulett Motel." http://www.hulettmotel.com/

 

Which one is it?

 

Oops....my bad. I believe I tried the Hulett Motel first without getting good response and the Devil's Tower Inn was anyway better rated.

 

So, I did make reservation at the Best Western Devil's Tower Inn and the correct number is: 307-467-5747

 

I also edited the earlier posted lists.

[rzempel]

Thanks,

 

What tipped me off was that when I called the Hulett Motel number, the answering machine said they were closed for the winter...not a good sign.

 

I couldn't get through to a couple of others--I suspect the recent storm may have knocked out their phones. Hopefully I'll be fully booked in the next couple of days.

[squarefour]

Oops, didn't even notice the wrong name when I made reservations.

Corrections made.

[rzempel]

One more speedbump-- The phone number listed for the Ranchester Western Motel [(307) 655-4511] does not appear to be working...it immediately drops the call. A quick google appears to show me a different number [(307) 655-2212] plus a toll free number 1-866-373-2213 (that connects to satellite video service rather than a hotel).

 

Is this the right place, or am I about to book myself into the wrong motel?

 

http://www.walkingstar.com/portfolio/ranchester/ranchester_motel.html

Edited February 8, 2011 by rzempel

[scannon]

I've been having the same problem with the Ranchester. I tried the 307-655-2212 and got something called RPM.

 

Gert sent me the number for the company that represents the group of independents (877) 747-8713. I haven't tried that one yet as I want to talk directly with the motel before I make a reservation.

[rzempel]

I've found another number (on a site for an adventure trail run) for the Ranchester Motel....866-366-2213. I'm going to wait until I know how Gert managed to make this reservation while both of us have failed. :-)

 

edit-I've tried the new 866 number. It isn't the motel, either--it's "Amanda at Corporate Sedans; please leave a name and number," etc.

Edited February 8, 2011 by rzempel

[rzempel]

The (877) 747-8713 number is to the Magnuson Hotels, "The World's largest Independant Hotel Group" according to their web site. http://www.magnusonhotels.com/hotel-details.cfm?pcode=M19570

 

I, too, want to talk to someone at the hotel rather than a call center thousands of miles away.

 

I've found a couple more possible phone numbers for this place--I've never seen anything like it. So far, in addition to previous numbers, I've found (307) 461-4208 and (307) 655-2511 listed for this place.

[scannon]

Gert used the original number but that was awhile ago. It seems to have gone off the air recently. I just tired the 307-655-2511 and got the Ranchester. The lady who answered did not recognize the original number on our schedule. Unfortunately the Ranchester is full up on the 19th. She recommended the Trails End in Sheridan, about 15 miles East of Hulett. 307-672-2477

 

I have a call into this one but reading the reviews on the Yahoo travel site it sounds like a dump. Further research required.

[slomove]

I am beginning to wonder why the tour organizer did such a sloppy job.:rant:

 

Well I guess he mistyped the number and it is (307) 655-2511

 

Anyway, there is good news and bad news:

 

The good news is that I could reach the hotel under the number mentioned above.

 

The bad news is they do not have any more rooms available for July 19 and there are no other hotels in Ranchester.

 

Bummer.

 

I suppose we will have to keep going the 15 miles to Sheridan and look for hotels there. I will check tonight.

[scannon]

Sheridan is off our of our intended route. I found this resort about 35 miles beyond Ranchester. The Elk View Inn http://www.elkviewinn.com/info/hotel.php 307-461-4168.

 

The website show rates as $100 for single and $110 for double. I called and asked about the rates. It appears Winter is their high season and Summer is low season. Both room rates are only $70 in July.

 

Is this too much distance to add to the 254 miles already scheduled which includes a stop at Little Bighorn Battlefield?

[slomove]

Thanks Skip, I think this looks very nice and is a great find. And better adding 35 mile on the planned route than wasting 2 times 15 miles on the freeway. Given that the roads for that day are rather straight and level, the distance of 290 miles should still be O.K. On the USA2005 tour we did 395 miles one day with 3 passes over 10.000 ft and even that was fun.

 

I think we should go for it. I will change my reservation tonight and change the tour table again.