The culmination of our adventure.  After a brief interlude in Billings we have now completed the final 250 or so miles.  Our route has today taken us from Billings through the lovely Mountain town that is Red Lodge, Montana and on-wards to the Bear Tooth Highway.  The route coined “the most beautiful drive in America,” by late CBS correspondent Charles Kural, had always been intended to be our swansong for our Trans Am Road Trip and was undertaken on this day in recognition of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Longest Day event, for which during our trip we have been raising money.

We’re off!

Driving from East to West we pushed the Trans Am skywards, navigating the series of steep zigzags and switchbacks, to the 10,947 ft (3,337 m) summit, naturally stopping along the way to capture some of the following images.

View From the Pass

The approximate elevation rise is from 5,200 ft (1,600 m) to 8,000 ft (2,400 m) in 12 mi (19 km) in the most daring landscapes.

The day was blustery one, most of them are at that elevation!  Even in mid summer it is possible to catch a snow shower at the top of the pass.  Indeed most years skiing takes place on July 4th at the Beartooth Summer Ski Area operated by Justin Madroo and a couple of other die hard, lifelong Montana residents and super fans.  Justin’s Brother and our buddy Nick, has also taken the this famous section of the 212 to heart and in its honor launched an apparel company  us2twelve

Go Go Gadget Arm

Arriving at the “Top of the World” we took our turn at the summit sign for the obligatory photo op and spent a little time at the various look outs points.  The above taken with the Go Pro pulled from the screen of the car and creating a ludicrously long arm with the fish eye lens.

Onward then to the Wyoming border and crossing back into a previously covered State for the only time I can remember on the trip.

Dione took over the driving for the very final miles of the road trip, the first and only time she drove during the entirety of the trip.  I was never planned that way..I was always going to do most of the driving as Dione was using periods in the co-drivers seat to work via our trusty mobile hot spot.  But I was very happy to sit back for the final couple of hours winding through Yellowstone National Park, through Gardiner on the other side, watching the Yellowstone flow to the side of me and reflect on the genuine “journey” we had undertaken during the past 6 weeks.

Tim, June 22 2015.