From Worland, I head north on Rt 16 in desert scrub and plus 90 degree temperatures, then turn west into Cody, WY. I stop for a break and find a shade tree in a small grassy park. Lying on my back in the soft cool grass feels good. After about ten minutes I mount up and find the turn off for the Chief Joseph Trail about 1/4 mile up the road. On the road atlas this road is depicted as a low end two lane highway, but this thing is a beautiful, modern two lane highway with the wide, paved shoulders that give you confidence to cut loose a bit. The road winds through some rolling terrain and you can see the mountains looming just ahead. We start to seriously climb through beautiful grassland with big orange rock outcroppings, around a few switchbacks and up into some "high country", a fairly wide table land with big firs, meadows, and brooks. Up and up we go until we "summit" at a well developed overlook called Dead Indian. The view down the other side is breathtaking - varied terrain and mountain structures as far as you can see, and directly below another series of serious switchbacks. Lets go!!
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