Jim Williams of Charleston SC, Traveled Part of the ZMM Route in 2001. Here Is His Email To Me, With Photos.

Professor Gurr

Here are the only two photos from my trip to Oregon in 2001 which are actually on the same route as Phaedrus took in 1968.

The Montana Border photo was taken by remote Control, on Hwy US-12 between Marmarth and Baker.
More Information
One Photo & History of Marmarth, ND.
Wikipedia Marmarth, ND.
CityData & 5 Photos, Baker, MT.

…The weather was pleasant and not as hot and dry as described in ZAMM. Where Phaedrus saw brown, dried up vegetation, I saw green. The additional moisture no doubt explained the thousands of insects and two birds that had a "Close Encounter of the Final Kind" with the front of the motorcycle as I made my way across the Great Plains at 70 mph.

NOTE: Scroll To Right >>> To See Complete Photo, Which Is Next \/ Down \/.

This Bear Tooth Pass photo was taken at the summit view turnoff by a "real Harley high miler" from Philadelphia. As you can see, very little snow as compared to Robert Pirsig's photos. It was cool, but not overly cold. The day before, at a gas station in Forsyth, MT, I had met Bill Shockley, his son, and a friend, from Tomahawk, WI, all on BMWs similar to mine. They convinced me to rendezvous with them and other similarly-mounted BMW riders at Givens Hot Springs, Idaho for the Nez Perce Rally.
… Since Robert J Banis [Road To Redmond] had beat me to the punch with the ZAMM Route magazine article, I decided to leave the ZAMM route and rode to Cody, WY, to pay my respects at the grave of mountain man John "Liver-Eatin" Johnston, whose life was the subject of the 1972 Robert Redford movie, "Jeremiah Johnson." I then went on to Idaho via the west entrance of Yellowstone Park and joined the other BMW riders for the cross-country trip to Redmond, OR.
NOTE: Scroll To Right, To See Photo >> .

Concerning The ZMM Book Bozeman Mountain Climb and Mt. Blackmore.
…After re-reading the ZAMM passages that describe the hike [Of Chris & ZMM Narrator], I'm a little less convinced they were headed for Mt. Blackmore and now considering that it could have been Hyalite Peak, or a summit which is slightly closer and higher, Mt. Chisholm.

Pirsig writes, "Three days hard to the snow. Four days easy. If we don't show up in nine, DeWeese will start looking for us." If he and Chris only made four miles a day, that would still be 16 miles one way.”

[Although,] There are forest service roads which will allow you to drive very close to these peaks. They most likely did not exist in 1968.

Regards,

Jim Williams

UP DATE: I Henry Gurr, had Emailed Jim Williams, of Charleston, SC, asking him to send Back-Up Copies of the photos you see on this page. Here is his Email Reply Jan 6, 2023.

Hi Henry,

Hope you are doing well.

Although I'm retired, now, I'm not doing much [cycle] riding
these days due to aging and the arrival of young
grandchildren that have me working as a part
time "manny!"

Picked up Wendy Pirsig's recent offering a couple months ago.

Here are the two photos you requested.

Sorry there are not more photos but I deviated
from the Pirsig route when I met some fellow
BMW riders headed to a BMW rally starting in Idaho
and riding mostly off-road to the national BMW rally in
Redmond, OR. I also remembered that the grave of John
Johnston, the inspiration of actor, Robert Redford's film,
"Jeremiah [Liver Eatin] Johnson" was in Cody, WY, so I went there
before going on to Yellowstone NP.

For Further Reading

Click Here To Read => How To Find A Bozeman Gallatin National Forest (GNF) Mountain Climbing Route of Chris and the Narrator, That Fits Their Climb Narrative, In The Book Zen and the Art Or Motorcycle Maintenance (ZMM) by Robert Pirsig.
…NOTE: The MOST INTERESTING On This Above Blue Link Page Is The Link Labeled =>
You Can Google-Earth, Click-Drag, View The Entire => "N+C Hypothetical Climbing Trail".
AFTER this above Blue Link comes up, Do > Top > Edit > Find > GoogleEarth to read how to View The Mountain Hike Of Chris & ZMM Narrator, In GoogleEarth.
________________________________________

Topics Discussed On This Above Blue Link Page =>

An Explanation of The WebPage You Are Reading Now, Which Is An Abbreviated Version Of Much More Complete Gallery Photo Information.

An Invitation Hiking Enthusiasts & Mountain Climbers, For Their Volunteer Help In Confirming ‘‘ “N+C Hypothetical Climbing Trail” .

A Discussion Of Possible ZMM Mountain Climb Routes, With Added Full Details.

ZMM Enthusiasts Should Be Aware => The “Mountain Climb” Descriptions given by the Narrator in the ZMM Book, are clearly quite different from Robert Pirsig’s actual Mountain Climbing Route with his son Chris, which took place historically on, or around, 17 July 1968.

To Study & Explore Climbing Route in Gallatin National Forest (GNF) => Need Good Topographic Topo Maps of the GNF Areas of ZMM Narrator's Likely Mountain Climb Route.

To Study & Explore Climbing Route in Gallatin National Forest (GNF) => Need Computer Software APPs For Working With Topo Maps and GPS WayPoint Marker Data.

Need Installed A Computer Software => To Make A "Screen Capture".

With Topo Maps Assembled, You Can Do the Following Study & Trail Explore:
Persons Who Have Attempted ‘‘ “N+C Hypothetical Climbing Trail” ‘‘. Please Tell Us Of Your Experience. How Was The Climb? Did You Find Any Other Probable Routes?

From The Public Paved Road That Goes To The GNF Cottonwood Creek Trail Head, You Can See Much From Car Or Your Cycle.

Preparation For The Google-Earth Viewing Of "N=+C Hypothetical Climbing Trail". .

From Your Computer (With A Fairly Fast Internet), You Can Google-Earth, Click-Drag, View The Entire => "N+C Hypothetical Climbing Trail".

More photos and information re ZMM Book, Robert Pirsig and the ZMM Route. Click Here:
AFTER this comes up, you will need to click on this Gallery Navigation Links to find what you want.
….Most especially, at top and bottom.=> You should ClickOn the > 1 < >2< >3< >4< to go to a different Five Albums Display Page.

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"And what is good, Phaedrus, And what is not good
—Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?"
Robert Pirsig in his “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”..

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HSG-Original Assemble & Post HSG080806, But NoFndBakCopiesSoNew#01ForSaveAs. …HSG Edits & Post 221228, HSG Improve&AddLinks240110.

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