Sturgis 2021, Day 2: Heat, Wind, and Haze

The ride yesterday was hot and nasty. As usual, the wind through Wyoming and the promise of a different kind of heat in South Dakota kept us riding the speed limit. Not that we blaze down the highway at ninety miles an hour at any other time, but this year we were super conscious of not speeding even a little bit. Donna and I arrived at our cabin last evening just before sunset. Somehow, we seem to get sucked into a time warp when we travel and the day gets away from us. I suppose it doesn't help when we don't get started until almost noon.  

On the road again.

Haze from the wildfires in the Western US was horrible, despite the strong winds out of the Northwest. The haze didn't begin to clear out until we were almost to South Dakota, and even then we can still see it hanging in the air.

We start paying attention to Rally chatter a couple of weeks before the event, so we have an idea of what to expect. Social media has been buzzing with reports of increased enforcement for the most minor infractions. We've heard that law enforcement has been giving tickets for as little as 3 MPH over the limit. So, we plan to keep our speed at the limit and plant both feet for a three-count at stop signs. 

Today, we met with our friends from North Dakota, Sharon, Holly, and Renee. We have known Sharon and Holly since we started traveling to the Rally, some twenty-five years ago. Renee is a friend of theirs who we've met a few times over the years. We met them in Sturgis where we walked around and caught up on the last couple of years. I stayed masked most of the day, playing my part to keep from becoming a Typhoid Mary. 

From last year, still my favorite mask.

Tomorrow, we are planning to ride the Black Hills with our North Dakota friends before they have to head back home. I promise to take more pictures.

Sturgis 2020, Day 2: Logistics

I had intended to write daily, but logistics have crashed that idea. This is my last post for 2020, but I might do a recap when we get home. 

Have a great week y'all.

Sturgis' 20, Day 1: On the Road Again

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. Not for want of posting on my part, more for lack of internet. This year, 2020, despite all the reasons not to go, we are in South Dakota. We got lucky and scored a cabin with a kitchen and bathroom. Having visited many times before, we know the drill. Tomorrow we'll wade into the largest crowd we intend to face--Walmart. 

Most years we spend a lot at local restaurants and shops. This year I think we'll spend more time in the saddle and less time walking around shopping. We'll see. Because of covid, our little group decided to cook for ourselves rather than take our chances in a crowd. But that's stuff to worry about tomorrow. 

Somehow, we managed to leave earlier than we ever have in the past. We were on the road headed north by 9:00 AM. That is unheard of. 

The weather was on the warm side (help me, I'm melting...), but otherwise, the ride north was perfect. We made excellent time. Part of the reason was one of the first rest areas was closed, so instead of stopping, we had to press on. The wind kicked up a bit through Wyoming (so, what else is new?), but it wasn't the worst we've ridden through. 

We arrived at our cabin with plenty of daylight left. Still, by the end of the ride, we were exhausted and ready to collapse. A take-out order and couple of beers later, we relaxed enough to settle in. Tomorrow should be another good day. 

Sturgis '18 Day1: Chasing the Sun

We woke up this morning to rain. This would be the first time we rode TO South Dakota in the rain. Usually we ride back in the rain.

For all that, we managed to hit the road in a timely manner, although (because of rider error) we arrived at our destination later than we wanted. The first incident was after gassing up in Cheyenne, Donna forgot to put the cap back on after checking her oil, oops. Right after we got on the interstate, she had to pull over right away and (luckily) had the cap in her pocket. She topped off the reservoir, and we headed north once again.

When we stopped for that bit of fun, we were watching a black cloud pass over the area we knew we were about to ride into. Not wanting to ride into the rain more than necessary, we took our time before starting up the road once more.

Unfortunately, we didn't stop long enough. By the time we reached the rest area at Meridan, we were soaking wet. Every year, the Christian Motorcycle Association sets up in the rest area and the volunteers provide free water and snacks to riders heading to the Rally. This year was no different, and they were as friendly as ever.

After leaving the rest area, we rode in and out of weather for the rest of the day. It was mostly cloudy and cool, but every once in a while we'd hit another sprinkle or two.

The next oops of the day was when I ran out of gas just before Edgemont, SD. That was definitely an oops because we had stopped for gas just 75 mile before, in Lusk, WY. Normally when we pull up to gas the bikes, I pay, pump, and hand the nozzle over to Donna. This time, I handed the nozzle to Donna while I fumbled with trying to get my wallet put away. She filled up her bike and gave the nozzle back. Instead of filling up my bike, I hung it back up, popped the cap back on the tank, and took off.

Needless to say, it's been an eventful day. But, after a cold, wet, and long ride, we reached our destination for the week -- the Happy Holiday Resort in Rapid City.

We haven't decided what we're going to do tomorrow, so stay tuned to see what the day will bring.

Grand Mesa Day 10: Homeward Bound

We got an early start on our trip back home. We did as much packing last night as we were able, loaded everything into the car (Laura named her 'Sweet Pea') that we didn't need, and stacked as much by the door as possible. All of us did a complete walk-through of the condo this morning just to make sure nothing got left behind after packing the last of our stuff out to the bikes. By 8:30 AM (a record for us, I think), we had turned in the keys and were on the way north to Mesa, DeBeque, and I-70 East.

Stopping for a bite to eat and our second latte of the trip, we took a few minutes in Mesa before getting back on the road to the DeBeque Canyon cutoff, a two-lane road that led us away from the construction zone that led directly to the interstate from Mesa. I had expected a canyon much like the Poudre or Big Thompson, but I was disappointed in that this was more of a desert canyon, with dry stream beds lacing the landscape. Still, it was a beautiful, and quiet, ride. The lack of traffic was refreshing.

Gassing up before jumping on the concrete ribbon leading east, we took a few to make sure our oil was good. Then came the 180-mile speed fest. As we rode, I kept wondering how the truckers felt about the "mosquito-cycles" that kept buzzing around them -- or that they screamed around. Every time I passed a truck, I thought about "mosquito-cycles" and that made the boring, but hazardous, ride a bit more tolerable.

We decided to stop for lunch in Frisco, and less than 20 miles from the town we get harassed on the road by some jackass in a flatbed pickup rolling coal at every motorcycle and convertible on the road. Where's a cop when you want one? The convertible actually pulled out and followed him for a while, so I hope he got the guy's license number and reported him.

For the most part, the trip was uneventful, and except for the one incident, most drivers gave us space and didn't ignore us too much. I suppose it helped to have Laura and Sweet Pea as "tail-gunner."

We got off the interstate at Idaho Springs and Donna led us to Golden where we filled up our tanks again before picking our way through the foothills toward I-25 and north to Fort Collins. Everything was going well until we lost Laura to a leg cramp around Windsor, then Donna and I got a bit concerned. We pulled over at the rest area and called to make sure she was OK. By that time we were about 10 minutes from where we garage the bikes, so we agreed to meet her there.

Laura was walking around, albeit with a bit of a gimp, when we arrived. Unloading the bikes took a few minutes, so she had time for her leg to settle before she jumped in her car and said she'd meet us at her house. We had to get Donna's car anyway, so our last leg began with a post-trip toast to another successful ride.

I think this was the first trip we've taken that didn't involve rain, high winds, or any other type of crappy weather. Some of the mountain roads along US Hwy 40 and the road over the Grand Mesa left a bit to be desired from a motorcycle point-of-view (I had a pucker moment or two), and we didn't see the crowds of people or traffic that we normally encounter, but except for the swarms of mosquitoes (take your bug spray), I would say this was one of the best trips we've had.

Grand Mesa Day 9: Just Playin'

Today we decided to spend some time on top of the Grand Mesa and see what there was to see. We found that most of the road that offshoot from Hwy 65 turn to gravel as soon as you are off the highway or shortly after you leave the pavement.

We started to ride out to the observatory, but less than a mile in, the gravel road deteriorated to the point that we decided to turn around and head back to Hwy 65.

We went to the Grand Mesa Visitor Center and asked the rangers about roads. They told us what we had already discovered -- most roads off Hwy 65 are gravel. Donna pulled her bike up to the lake and watched the fisher-folk. One guy was reeling them in as fast as he was casting. In the 10 minutes or so she watched, she said he must have pulled in at least four fish. And they were all more than 12 inches.

The longest stretch we found was just east of the Visitor Center. The road is paved for a few miles before it turns to gravel. So, Laura changed shoes and jumped on the back of my bike. We rode up the road for maybe a couple of miles or so after it turned to gravel. Finding a good spot to pull the bikes off and be able to step down to the water, we parked and spent a little time enjoying the view.

We found some pretty interesting flowers in the area, and one of the trees had a USGS marker on it.

As we were leaving, Laura decided it was a good day to hug a tree.

On the way out of the area, we discovered a little place that sells food, so we stopped for a late-ish lunch. They had a limited menu, but the food was excellent.

For $10 each, we were able to get a hot sandwich, fresh fries, and a cold drink. I had the BLT, and the bacon was absolutely delicious. Thick sliced, smoked, and cooked to perfection, that sandwich must have had at least four huge slices of bacon. We gobbled down our food, but still couldn't finish all of the fries. A hand-scoop of ice cream topped off the meal, and we were on our way back to drop Laura off at her car.

After we checked out a couple more roads that led to gravel, we headed back to the condo to pack for the ride home.

Grand Mesa Day 8: A Day at the Hot Springs

Everyone felt better and more rested this morning, so we piled into the car and headed to the hot springs in Ouray. The first stop was Blink Coffee in Mesa. Yes, it was the opposite direction from Ouray, but we needed an espresso fix. When we looked at the map, we could see that going over the Grand Mesa wouldn't take any more time to get to Ouray than going over US Hwy 50, so we decided to take Hwy 50.

We saw some pretty awesome rock formations along the highway.

The area between Grand Junction and Delta is pretty bleak, but south of Delta the landscape once again turned green.

We spent a while at the Ouray Hot Springs, and because only three out of the five pools were open, the water slide was still a work in progress, and the pool temperatures were a little low because of the construction, the admission cost was half-price. About the time we suited up and entered the pool, a cloud formed over the mountain and cooled the place off. Then a breeze came along, and really cooled us off. After a sufficient amount of sitting in the luke-warm water then cooling off when we got out, we got dressed and headed to the Ouray Brewery for lunch before heading back to Powderhorn.

The drive back was uneventful and we managed to get back to the condo by 7:30-ish, so it wasn't too awful late. We even got to see the sun set from our home away from home.

Tomorrow is our last day at the resort. We plan to go up to the Grand Mesa and see what there is to see. It will be a short day as we will need to pack and get ready for the trek home.

Grand Mesa Day 7: A Quiet Day

We had planned to ride to either the Black Canyon of the Gunnison or Ouray to the hot springs, but our long day yesterday wore us down, and we decided to spend the day in. Donna couldn't stay awake, and I think we broke Laura. I wasn't up to my best either, so we hung out and spent the day sleeping and recovering from the long hours.

Tomorrow we are going to carry on with the week we had originally planned -- either the Black Canyon of the Gunnison or Ouray, we'll decide in the morning.

Grand Mesa Day 6: A Visit With Friends

Today we rode to Paonia to see our friends Denise and her son Chris. We got a bit of a late start due to finding out that we had yet another bear break-in at home Sunday night.

This time it tore an air conditioner out of the window -- oh, and tore the brand new window, and the frame, right out of the wall. Needless to say it put a bit of a damper on the vacation. Thinking that we had everything taken care of -- the new BBQ is locked in the shed and the dog door is secure -- and the SoaB takes out the A/C. We got in touch with family and now our grandson is staying at the house. He reported a return visit by out unwanted guest Monday night. A warning shot caused it to retreat.

Consequently, we needed to make a few phone calls before heading to Paonia.

After the late-ish start, we geared up for the ride and Laura followed in the car. Two-and-a-half hours and a gorgeous ride later we landed in Paonia. It was good to see our friends, who we only really see on Facebook these days. Chris cooked a wonderful meal for us, then we headed out to his favorite fishing spot.

Remember when I said we got a late start? By the time we reached the reservoir, it was getting late and we only had time to have a drink, a chat, and fight off the mosquitoes. The day was slipping away and we still needed to ride back over the Grand Mesa to Powderhorn. Chris was having car trouble, so he stayed with his car at the lake to see how the fishing was (I think he's addicted to fishing). Denise squeezed in the back seat of the car with me (we didn't bother to schlep everything from the car to the condo, it's a bit of a hike) and we headed back to Paonia to pick up the bikes.

By the time we reached the top of the Grand Mesa, the sun was getting low in the sky. Laura managed to grab a picture of us as we rode into the sunset.

By the time we started down the north side of the Mesa, the sky was blazing.

We made it back to the condo a little after 9:00 PM, much later than we had anticipated, but we had a great day. It was good to see friends, but we realized that not one of us took a picture until we were heading back to our home away from home.

Tomorrow we are planning to go to either Ouray or the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, we'll see what the morning brings.

Grand Mesa Day 5: Over the Top

Today we took a big loop around the Grand Mesa. After leaving the resort we turned south on CO Hwy 65 and drove along the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway. The road up from Mesa and Powderhorn needs a little work, which is ongoing, but the view is gorgeous.

The Grand Mesa is the biggest mesa (flat-topped mountain) in the world, covering around 500 square miles, and has more than 300 lakes and reservoirs dotting the landscape.

Since we were in the car, we decided to take the road not traveled on motorcycles -- gravel -- and took the scenic route around the Mesa. We pulled over before the road re-joined CO Hwy 65 because the view was so amazing.

After getting back on Hwy 65, we decided to take the loop around through Delta and back up U.S. Hwy 50 to Palisade and visit a few of the Colorado wineries.

Before leaving Delta, we stopped at a biker bar called Hoolies and had a bite to eat. The food was good and the staff was excellent. On the way up to Palisade, we looked at our maps to see what the best route would be -- and discovered that the area has almost 30 wineries. And that is just the Grand Valley wineries.

Our first tasting was at the Meadery of the Rockies. They offered five free tastes and we could get more for a buck a taste. They were good enough that I bought a bottle of the Cherry 'n Honey.

The next two places were related to the Meadery -- St. Kathryn Cellars, and Talon Wineries. St Kathryn Cellars produces lighter, fruity wines, while the Talon Winery produces the traditional grape wines. The gift shops had some interesting items, including some locally produced jams and jellies. I had to get a small jar of jalapeno jelly. Having never tried it before, I was surprised at how good it is.

Our final tasting was the DeBeque Canyon Winery. This tasting room only offered four samples, but you can also purchase more for a buck a taste. By this time, we were pretty tasted out, so it was time to stop by the local grocery store for food for the week, then back to the condo for the night.

Tomorrow we will visit our friends Denise and Chris in Paonia.

Grand Mesa Day 4: Lazy Days and Sundays

Our first full day on the Western Slope was a lazy day. The closest we got to leaving the resort was making a grocery list and thinking about going into Palisade to fill the pantry. We never made it that far. 

This weekend was the chair lifts started running for the summer downhill bicycle season. While not as many people downhill bike as downhill ski, the mountain was fairly busy today. Yesterday was the first day of the season and it opened with an event that lasted well into the evening. We didn't see any of the competition, but we heard the crowds during the awards ceremony last night. 

Today had us climbing up to the Powderhorn Pub for lunch, followed by a ride up the ski lift to the top of the mountain. 

The view was spectacular. 

We spent the rest of the day recovering from the trip here. We put things away so the place isn't so cluttered. Naps were the order of the afternoon, and we took advantage of being on vacation. 

Tomorrow we go into Palisade and check out the winery scene. We might even stop by the Meadery, but that might wait for another day.

Grand Mesa Day 3: Into the Heat

After spending the first couple of days hoping that Donna's battery would hold a charge, she finally broke down and went to the local auto parts store. Borrowing the shop tool set, she pulled the battery and replaced it. A quick trip to the local coffee shop and we were on our way to Douglas Pass (This site has more pictures).

The views were spectacular. As we started the climb, the road narrowed down to just the road, the shoulder was the white stripe. The road itself was pitted and damaged, and combined with the steep grades the ride a little more technical than it should have been. More than once, I had to think fast when coming around one of the many twists and turns. The road was particularly pitted with "alligator skin" near the summit. And whoever thought it would be a good idea to put a cattle guard at the summit -- on the turn -- obviously does NOT ride a motorcycle.

The view on the downhill side was spectacular!

I would have liked to stop and take more pictures, but this stretch of highway didn't have many pullouts, and the most of those were either on the opposite side of the road, or came up fast and I had enough time to think "there went one." Traffic was fairly light, so we didn't feel much pressure as we rode.

Of course, once we reached Loma, we needed to stop and remove the extra layer we put on for the pass. While we were stopped, we checked directions to our final destination and saw that we will be a bit off the beaten path. The Powderhorn resort is a few miles past the town of Mesa and 25 miles from Palisade. I see a winery tour (or two) in our future.

Our latest digs are really nice. It's upstairs (isn't it always?) so the views are pretty amazing. We have two balconies -- one off the living room, and the other off the downstairs bedroom.

Tomorrow we will explore our new digs and probably go in search of a grocery store. This place is pretty remote, so it looks like we might be eating in more than eating out this trip -- and that's not a bad thing.

Grand Mesa Day 2: Walking with the Dinosaurs

Today we rode to Dinosaur National Monument. None of us had ever been to Dinosaur National Monument, so this was going to be a treat. We didn't know what to expect, so we stopped at the Visitor Center on the Colorado side of the park. A short film of the history gave us a little insight, but as with most things, you have to see it to believe it.

About a 30-minute drive from the Visitor Center, we arrived at the Quarry Visitor Center and looked around at the exhibits. While we couldn't hike the Fossil Discovery Trail (it was closed because of storm damage earlier this year), the Quarry Exhibit Hall was open, so we hopped on the shuttle and looked at the wall of dinosaur bones.

About half the length of a football field, the wall is a half-finished archeological dig site. The excavation lasted for some time before it was decided to let the people come to the dinosaurs. More than 1,500 fossils are exposed to view on this wall, and it is pretty amazing to see.

After checking out this amazing fossil wall, we went and looked for the petroglyphs. They are the lesser-known attraction of the monument, and are no less spectacular.

We spent a little time checking them out then headed to our hotel in Rangely. And what trip would be complete without at least one complication. This year it was our lodging reservation. Unfortunately, the place we had booked only had a single queen bed, or two single beds. Of course, we could always pay for two rooms. Er, no. After a phone call, we moved to one of the other hotels in town.

Tomorrow, we head to our home away from home for the week.

Grand Mesa: Day 1

This year our trip is different than usual. The original plan was for the four of us (Laura, Lin, Donna, and me) to leave Saturday, blast up the Interstate to our destination and meander home. Well, that part of the trip fell apart when Lin blew out her knee and will require a knee replacememt. She can hardly walk, let alone hold the bike up. So, this year it is just Laura, Donna, and me.

We left Fort Collins bright and early this morning. By the time Donna and I got to Laura's, had breakfast, gassed up the bikes, added air to tires as necessary, and started up the canyon, it was 9:00-ish. That's a pretty early start for us.

The day was almost perfect. Except for the wind, the weather couldn't have been better for a bike ride. Traffic was mostly light, so we didn't have to pull over too much to let some of the folks in a hurry pass us by.

Another big difference this year, is that Donna and I invested in a Bluetooth headset system. We were able to talk to each other, something we haven't been able to do before. Being able to share our observations as we rode was kind of neat. It added a bit of depth to the ride that I've not experienced before. Hand signals work to communicate the basics, but talking to each other sure reduces the chances of miscommunication. Now we just need to get the chase car (Laura) hooked into the loop. As I write this post, Donna and Laura are working on finding an app that will work. It doesn't sound like they are having much luck.

We arrived at our Kamping Kabin (yep, we're at a KOA) a little after 4, way earlier than usual. I guess it's because we didn't have to pull over as much to add or remove clothing like we ususally do. The temps must have been in the upper 70s to low 80s along our route, no complaints from me.

So, we pulled in front of the Kabin we were assigned and, lo and behold, it's one we've stayed in before -- Sundance Kid.

After we got settled in, one of the managers came by and asked if we had stayed here before, and indeed, we have. A few years ago, we stayed here -- in the same cabin even. I guess we're memorable, because he came over to say hi and welcome us back.

Tomorrow we visit Dinosaur National Monument on our way to Rangely. A short trip, but it sounds like it could be a long day. We'll see how it goes, we'll be riding close to the latest Colorado burn area. Luckily, the fire is contained and the highway is back open. Can't wait to see the sights.

Day Ride: First Rides

Last Saturday was the perfect day to get out on the bikes for the season’s first shake-down ride, although it was a bit breezy. 

We got about halfway down the mountain when I realized that I forgot my helmet. And no, we did not turn around and go back to get it. We needed to eat first; besides, our riding friends and family store extras. After breakfast, we made it to the bikes, and they started right up (relatively speaking). Of course, the new battery I put in my bike last year helped.

Being this is tax time, we stopped by the office of our Tax Guy™, freshened up the gas in the tanks, and squirted the dust and last year’s dirt off the bikes. We only rode about 60 miles and made a lot of stops that day, but for a first outing, it wasn’t bad. We had stayed away from the foothills because we knew it was windy up there, but by the time we parked the bikes later in the afternoon, the winds had moved onto the plains.

Still, not a bad day of riding. The temperatures were just about perfect and we didn’t even need a jacket most of the day. The winds were warm-ish, and the sunshine kept us comfortable. Being a First Ride™, I was reminded of other First Rides over the years; especially those first few years.

I got so nervous about getting back on the motorcycle. Would I remember how to ride? Would I still remember how to work the clutch and the brakes? Would I overcorrect on a corner and have the wheels slide out from under me? Did I have all the gloves, jackets, glasses, and whatever else I needed to feel less stressed? All these questions and a hundred more raced through my head as I prepared for the day. The adrenaline rush always exacerbated the nerves, and the first part of the ride was always a little tense for me.

Now, I am more relaxed. I trust that the bike will do what I ask it to. I trust my skills and experience. And as always, I watch out for the Other Guy™. The Other Guy is the most dangerous part of my ride. He is the one who is not paying attention to the two-wheelers out there. (That applies to the bicycle riders out there too, but that is a topic for another blog.) He is the one who puts me right in his blind spot then forgets I’m there.

Motorcycle riding on the street is a defensive activity. I never assume the guy next to me is paying attention to the fact that I am there. Heck, half the time, they don’t even see the cars next to them, they are so busy with their phones. I always assume that I am invisible to other drivers; they certainly treat me like I am. I have had too many experiences where a car blew a red light, pulled into my lane without looking (including the Colorado State Patrol), and looked me in the eye at a stop sign only to pull out in front of me, to ride any other way.

Despite all of that, I love to ride. I love the feel of the air on my skin, the sun on my face, and the sensation of floating over the asphalt. The air carries the aromas of budding trees, newly plowed earth, and critters not lucky enough to make it across the road.

Even the days I ride when I’d rather not have to, have their own sense of accomplishment that goes along with “I did that!” when recollecting the trip afterwards. They mostly come around when we are tied to a schedule and need to be home on a certain day. Many of those are days we remember with a shudder, a laugh, and a silent “Thank You” to the Creator that we survived the experiences.

I determined long ago that life is a gamble; when your time is up, you have no say in whether you are going or not. So, I figured I might as well experience what there is to experience. Riding is one of those things that I love. There are others, but I haven’t made them happen – yet.

Until next time, keep the shiny side up, and the rubber side down.

Sturgis: The Ride

Today we got up fairly early and made the mad scramble to get our stuff packed and get on the road at a reasonable hour. We failed. By the time we got packed, gassed, fed, and caffeinated it was almost noon.

Overall, I thought the weather was pretty awesome for a return trip from the Black Hills. Granted, it was a bit windy in spots, but the temperatures were comfortable and we didn't run into rain.

As we traveled south, I thought about The Ride. What is it that makes us love riding the motorcycle?

On a motorcycle, you are out in the elements -- the wind, the rain, the sun all have immediate effects. You are exposed to conditions that you have little to no control over. You travel the same roads and at the same speeds as people in cars. Many of those people don't see you because you are small and easy to miss. So you ride like you are invisible, because to most people you are.

But what makes us love it?

Motorcycle riding is a visceral activity. When I ride, I feel like I'm floating. I react to the road with a twitch of the hips one way or another, a slight lean into a handlebar as gusts of wind try to shove me off my course. The wind screams past my ears not quite drowning out the sound of the 1300 cc engine thundering below me.

The road itself is part of the sensation. Each different surface has its own feel through the tires. Some pavement is grooved, some not. Some surfaces are noisier than others, some more difficult to navigate. The heat affects different surfaces in different ways. And tar snakes are always a bikers favorite.

The wind brings fragrances, odors, and aromas that are gone as soon as they cross my nose. The sun beats down, turning my exposed skin a dark reddish-brown. When a cloud passes overhead, the air temperature drops. And you can tell where a field has been recently irrigated or fertilized.

There is a certain freedom in being out in the wind, exposed to the elements. If I could take all of my trips on a motorcycle, I would be a happy girl. But, this is a summertime activity, so we take advantage as we can. And so, we complete up another Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Thanks for reading my ramblings on our trips. And please take a peek back for photo and video updates as soon as I edit the GoPro footage.

Sturgis: Out and About

This morning we didn't have a plan outside of coffee and breakfast. Over breakfast we decided to go over to Harley-Davidson and get my mirrors installed, Lin wanted to look for shocks, and Donna wanted to look into getting her seat repaired. We will have to go into Sturgis for the seat repair, and Lin didn't like the price on the shocks. I got my mirrors installed, so one out of three ain't bad.

With my new mirrors installed, we took a little ride out to Caputa to take a look at the old camp spot. The fence had been removed, but other than that the place looked the same as the last time we were there.

After the visit to Caputa, we rode out to Box Elder to see Genevieve, Dave, and the kids. Bree was glad to see us, but it was hard to drag Aiden away from Minecraft. The visit was short as it was getting late and we still needed to eat, shower, and start packing for the trip home tomorrow.

We rode into Rapid City to the LongHorn Steakhouse, where Lin was kind enough to buy dinner for us (today is our 22nd anniversary -- thanks Lin). The place was busy as usual, and the service was very slow. By the time we made it back to the cabin, it was much later than we wanted (9:45, where does the time go?), so we postponed the shower and packing until morning.

Today's post is short, just like today's ride. Tomorrow we head for home.

Sturgis: Oh My Hail!

This morning we woke to cloudy skies and cooler temps. After a slow start (so what else is new?) we made our way to the Morningside Cafe, a local breakfast and lunch restaurant. We found that place last year, and decided to find it again. It was much less crowded this year than last, much like everywhere else.

Not long after we were seated, we heard from our friend Genevieve. She was able to take the afternoon off, so we arranged to meet her in town and go for a ride.

Despite the darkening clouds, we decided to ride for Sturgis along our original route -- through Nemo and Vanocker Canyon. We left the parking lot and headed for the road leading to Nemo. A few miles down the road, the raindrops were falling on our heads so we pulled over to don the rain gear. I loaned Genevieve my rain gear since I had worn my chaps and had my all-weather jacket with the water resistant liner.

By the time we had geared up, the rain had started in earnest. The ride from where we had stopped to don our rain gear until we reached Nemo was only about five or so miles, but I think it took us about 20 minutes to ride that five or so miles. A mile or so from where we had stopped to add clothes, the hail started.

The hail pelted us for about half mile, and of course the rain came down harder. I stayed in the lead until I couldn't see for the fog on two layers of glasses, then Donna took over. As long as I could see her, I was fine.

We stopped at the first beer garden we came to and waited out the rain. The break gave us a chance to dry out, warm up, and down a beer. The better part of an hour later, we rode out of Big Mama's beer garden and headed for the turn to Vanocker Canyon.

By that time, the rain had pretty much quit and the rest of the ride into Sturgis was beautiful. The air had a little bit of a nip since we were still damp from the rain, but it wasn't enough to pull us over to change anything.

Traffic in Sturgis was the lightest we have ever seen. In the past, the line of vehicles was almost a mile long. Today we had two bikes in front of us, and the only thing that slowed us down were the stop signs at almost every intersection. We even found places to park on the first block, all within sight of each other. That is unheard of.

After walking around and shopping for about an hour and a half, we met for a meal then headed back to Rapid City. We decided to ride back through Vanocker Canyon and Nemo since the skies had cleared and the air had warmed back up. Once we got riding up the canyon, we discovered that it hadn't warmed up that much, so on came the gear again. Not because it was raining, but because it was starting to cool off.

We dropped Genevieve off at her car and headed back to the cabin. We even managed to make it back before dark. It was a treat to get out of Sturgis during the day and under clear skies. Usually the rain chases us out and we're floating down the interstate after nighfall.

We haven't quite decided what we are going to do tomorrow. Probably go back over to the Harley shop. Lin wants to look at pipes and I'm going to see about getting mirrors mounted.

Sturgis: Black Hills Challenges

The goal of the day was Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway. These are listed as two of the most challenging rides in the Black Hills. Now, I don't know if they are considered equally challenging riding one direction over the other, but this year, we chose to ride UP both. Usually when we ride Iron Mountain Road, we ride into Keystone instead of out of Keystone.

The Black Hills are criss-crossed with windy little state roads that connect the major highways. These roads are generally a little more narrow with fewer (if any) passing lanes and they hide some of the most beautiful scenery in the Hills.

We started the day in Keystone with a quick breakfast, then herding the cats.... er.... gathering all the bikes for the ride up Iron Mountain Road.

After Iron Mountain Road, we entered Custer State Park and saw a herd of buffalo along the side of the road. They pretty much ignored the tourists and just munched the grass.

Riding through Custer State Park along the Needles Highway seemed like a slow motion ride. The speed limit is 25 MPH, and for good reason. The road is narrow and has a lot of tight turns and switchbacks. But the views are awesome.

From left to right: Lin, Joby, Carrie, Donna, Jae, Vicki (trying to hide behind Jae), and Sharon.

After Needles Highway, we rode into Hill City for a beer, a bite to eat, and conversation before heading our separate ways for another year.

Lin, Donna, and I had discussed riding over the Old Hill City Road back into Keystone when we left, then up to our cabin, but the turn onto Old Hill City Road came up sooner than we expected and we missed it, so decided to skip that part of the day. It was probably a good thing, too, because the clouds were building up for their afternoon downpour. While we managed to miss most of the raindrops on the ride back to the cabin, the rain did chase us inside after we parked the bikes.

Tomorrow we head to Sturgis for some shopping and to register at the administration building. The plan is to ride up to Nemo then take Vanocker Canyon into Sturgis. Should be a fun day.

Sturgis: Deadwood

Today we rode to Deadwood to test our luck at the slots and grab dinner. The ride over was great. Bike traffic was light, as we noticed before, and we've heard a couple of locals comment the same thing.

We took Lake Sheridan Road to US Hwy 385 and practically had the road to ourselves. That's almost unheard of during rally week. It's nice when it does happen because no one is pushing us faster than we want to ride and we aren't pushing anyone else along.

We arrived in Deadwood around 2:30-ish, parked in the big lot across from the casinos, and walked the length of Main Street down to the Mineral Palace Casino to have dinner with our friends from North Dakota.

A few beers and steaks later, we toddled down to the casino and I dropped a twenty into an interesting looking machine. I started slow, like I always do, and I got a bonus spin. Then I got another bonus spin. And another. Pretty soon I was up about $50.00. That was when Lin told us that she had found a roulette machine.

We spent the next half hour or so playing roulette before we got the weather report from our friends who were wandering around outside. The clouds had turned black to the south and east, so we decided to cash out and head back to the cabin.

The skies over Deadwood had cleared by the time we got out to the bikes and on the road back, but we could see the blackness in the distance. Heading down US Hwy 385 we watched the sky with our eyes on the clouds. Luck was on our side all the way from Deadwood to Rapid City. The roads were still wet in spots, and we could tell that we had missed the rain by mere moments. But overall, the trip back was dry and incident free.

Tomorrow we ride Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway.