Don't know if you concerns are for at work.
Where I work here is an example what I do: If I need two weeks I schedule three and
they know when I show up for work my vacation is over. The last thing you need while
on vacation is worrying about getting back, thats what a vacation is all about. I have
never heard of a company getting twisted because you come back early. BUT if you
need to stay a little longer your covered. Enjoy !

 

I think it will depend on what you want to do and see on the way out, or back. If you just want to boogie out there and do the same on the way back than two weeks would be OK. If you've never been out westbefore I'd take three weeks and do a few other things on the way out. This would includegoing through the Badlands National Park, stopping at Wall Drugs, seeing Mount Rushmore, ridingthrough Custer State Park and theNeedles Highway in the Black Hills, going to Devil's Tower, stopping at Little BigHorn to see where Custer made his last stand, riding through the Big Horn Mountain range and going through the town of Ten Sleep, visiting Cody WY, riding the Chief Joseph Highway and BearTooth Pass (not to be missed!), before getting into Yellowstone and the Tetons.Goodthing is thatall of this can be easily accomplished without really going out of your way - they are all in an almost direct path to where you are heading.

BTW, I've been out there during the peak of the summer tourist season and have not found it hard to get a motel or campsite at any time. Makes it easier to just ride and not have to have a set destination to get to. If you're camping be prepared for cool/cold temps at night. When I went in the summer of 06 the daytime temps in Yellowstone were at or over 100. At night the temps got down to 40-42 degrees. Enjoy, the riding out there is without a doubt some of the most beautiful and coolest riding available in the US.

 

Plan 4 to 5 days ride there, at least 10 days around Yellowstone, and then about 4 to 5 days back. If did that trip last year, stay in Yellowstone was not long enough.

BTW - I live in SE MI, recommend you take US20 once you're west of Chicago, and travel thru Chicago early on weekend mornings. My signature picture was taken on US20 - notice the traffic?

PS - my trip there was to flyfish the Henry's Fork near Island Park ID (west side of Yellowstone) - hence my comment about 'not long enough.'

 

Dang.. I can get from Green Bay to Seattle in 36 hrs. drivin' a car ... ya need to stop makin' all the potty stops...