Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 35 W HEN I REMINISCE ABOUT THE STAND-OUT, ALL-TIME-FAVOR- ITE DRIVES I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE, essentially every one was viewed from the passenger seat of a 900-pound Harley-Davidson. Even roads I cherish driving by car—like the epic Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park—were stunningly dif- ferent experiences on the back of a motorcycle. The combination of speed and unencumbered openness produces an intoxicating array of sights and scents and temperature fluctuations that utterly bombard the senses, eradi- cating all thoughts and seamlessly introducing the rider to the simple plea- sure of fully experiencing this single moment in time. A VOYAGE OVER THE TOP OF THE WORLD The Beartooth Highway, also known as U.S. Highway 212, traverses an impressively diverse range of ecosystems that are predominantly frozen nine months of the year. Drifts as high as 26 feet have been recorded in some areas of this pristine wilderness, and clearing snow from the roadway for the short summer tourist season can take months. With a lot of skilled manpower and a bit of good luck, the road is generally open Memorial Day through mid-October. The highway begins approximately nine miles south of the Carbon Coun- ty seat of Red Lodge on the east side of the Beartooth Range. We set off on our journey with the first hint of morning beginning to glow on the horizon. Even in the middle of August, an exhilarating chill punctu- ates the air during those break-of-dawn moments at this altitude. The bulk of the historic coal-mining town was not yet awake, but as we made our way down the main street, a handful of other riders fell in line ahead of us and behind us every few blocks, all smiling or nodding "good morning" to one another as if they were old friends. Though we'd never met, our shared anticipation for the voyage ahead seemed to give us an innate sense of camaraderie. article and photos by HOLLY MATKIN

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