8/11/08
As we wrap up this adventure, which is just shy of 9000 miles in 5 weeks, I want to recognize those who made it possible and to note some observations. First, I want to thank our spouses, Jackie, Gail, and Mary, whose support made this trip a success (even though they benefited too!). Obviously, one cannot just walk away from a business without great people to run it, so in that respect I want to thank Erin, Troy, Ryan and Laura for managing our rental businesses, and also my crew at Roberts Automotive, Ken, Christine, Kevin, Jim, and Dustin for their dedication to excellence and ability to carry on without me. Also, our thanks go out to Doug Saldivar, who was on the scene right after I launched off the bike at the gas station, and to Fred Mcdowell for yanking us off the freeway, getting us to the dealership, and entertaining us for the day. Personally, I want to thank Gene and Harold for their encouragement when I thought my trip was over.
If you are planning a trip like this someday, you may benefit from our experiences. The following is offered in no particular order of importance:
1.Be flexible and plan loosely. We had some general ideas about what we wanted to see and do, but did a lot of ad libing. For instance we found out about the ghost town, Bannack, from Fred.
2.Stay off the super slab as much as possible and engage the locals. People are more than willing to help and will steer you to some interesting sites, museums, etc.
3.Take a tent, but let the cooking stuff at home unless you like making campground grub. Remember, cooking and cleaning up take time. We stayed at KOA Kamping Kabins whenever possible, but mixed in some motels and tenting. If you don't know exact dates about when you will be doing something, you won't find lodging around places like Yellowstone, except for camp sites.
4.Forget individual maps. Take a road atlas and don't put all your faith in a GPS. Take a KOA campground directory.
5.Buy a 12 volt battery charger for AA batteries, and a good stock of batteries. This proved invaluable for power hungry devices like communications systems and cameras.The bike charges the batteries while you are touring around.
6.If you don't yet have a bike, consider one that will allow you to stand while riding. Your posterior will thank you profusely when you hit those torn up roads and it is a luxury to stretch your legs while riding. Besides, its fun to startle somebody in the car next to you when you stand up at 65 mph.
7.It is okay to split up, but ride with a wing man. If you don't, at least file a flight plan with the rest of your com padres and stick to it.
8.Adversity will find you in the form of wind, rain, heat, mechanical breakdowns, physical breakdowns, and ways you could never predict. Expect it and bring along a sense of humor and flexibility.
9.The bike with the least range will have determine how many breaks you get.
10.Have a communication system besides yelling and wild gesturing. We used FRS radios with headsets in the helmets. Just don't expect to be able to understand anything at 80 mph.
11.Designate someone as historian. Take lots of pictures and keep a record of your daily activities.
12.Technology may be better than ever, but don't expect to be able to communicate with the internet everywhere or get a phone connection anywhere. Campgrounds are lousy places to get a reliable connection (they seem to shut down after the office closes) and if you are tenting there is no electricity to charge the laptop. Also, you will be surprised at how little time you have to blog.
13.Get a good full coverage helmet and wear it. I like the full face variety with D ring closures, but that is just my perference. I wore them all the time when racing cars. Gene likes his flip up helmet with snap closure. Not only do they offer the best protection, they will keep your skin from looking like an alligator after thousands of miles of hard riding.
14.Finally, don't ask a homeless person for a good place to eat.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
8/9/08
Awakening to dreary and rainy skies, we had a typical breakfast for a Super 8, packed up and left. The temperature was cool, so we kept the vents shut and were fortunate that the skies stayed cloudy for much of the trip. In the afternoon the sun came out and got things heated up reducing the patience factor so we called it a day around 4. Traffic around St Paul, MN was pretty heavy and the numskull factor relative to cage drivers has increased as we go east. Other than St Paul it was a pretty uneventful 530 miles of super slab.
8/10/08
Today we awoke to cloudless skies with temps in the 60s, and indeed it stayed that way the rest of the day. This kind of weather makes it easy to pile up a lot of miles, but our progress was impeded by numerous road construction projects. We did manage another 540 miles finally quitting at Kendallville, IN making this our last night on the road. We found a Best Western offering complimentary cookies, always a draw for Stinger. Having enough of the super slab's construction projects and various tolls, we broke off there and onto US 6 just after the border of Illinois and Indiana. Unlike the West where roads are just torn up and you can drive on them anyway, the roads around here are shut down and you are detoured. US 6 had a couple of these, but at a gas stop some locals told us how to get around the last one. That's how we ended up in Kendallville. Tomorrow may be our longest day yet as we have to get through Ohio and Pennsylvania, but we are looking forward to family and some good home cooking. We heard from reliable sources that Uncle Eddie made it home by Saturday morning after riding all night. That means we should be pulling into home by the time he wakes up. Tune in tomorrow for some more final thoughts and observations.
Awakening to dreary and rainy skies, we had a typical breakfast for a Super 8, packed up and left. The temperature was cool, so we kept the vents shut and were fortunate that the skies stayed cloudy for much of the trip. In the afternoon the sun came out and got things heated up reducing the patience factor so we called it a day around 4. Traffic around St Paul, MN was pretty heavy and the numskull factor relative to cage drivers has increased as we go east. Other than St Paul it was a pretty uneventful 530 miles of super slab.
8/10/08
Today we awoke to cloudless skies with temps in the 60s, and indeed it stayed that way the rest of the day. This kind of weather makes it easy to pile up a lot of miles, but our progress was impeded by numerous road construction projects. We did manage another 540 miles finally quitting at Kendallville, IN making this our last night on the road. We found a Best Western offering complimentary cookies, always a draw for Stinger. Having enough of the super slab's construction projects and various tolls, we broke off there and onto US 6 just after the border of Illinois and Indiana. Unlike the West where roads are just torn up and you can drive on them anyway, the roads around here are shut down and you are detoured. US 6 had a couple of these, but at a gas stop some locals told us how to get around the last one. That's how we ended up in Kendallville. Tomorrow may be our longest day yet as we have to get through Ohio and Pennsylvania, but we are looking forward to family and some good home cooking. We heard from reliable sources that Uncle Eddie made it home by Saturday morning after riding all night. That means we should be pulling into home by the time he wakes up. Tune in tomorrow for some more final thoughts and observations.
Friday, August 8, 2008
8/8/08
Today we got up early and hopped on the interstate and headed to our objective, Bismarck, SD. Interstates are pretty uneventful, and in the case of Montana, traffic free. In a hundred miles we saw only about 10 cars on our side of the road. Once we got into North Dakota, traffic picked up and so did the heat, but not as bad as yesterday. Mercifully, there was a lot of cloud cover today and we even hit a little rain outside of Bismarck. After entering North Dakota, we decided to stop at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitor Center, which was right off I94. This was part of the Badlands that extends to South Dakota. The terrain is characterized by dry grasses and bluffs. Lightning ignites lignite that burns underground and the intense heat turns the dirt to red clinkers. During a rainstorm three to four inches of dirt along the bluffs will be eroded. Eventually the land will look like eastern Montana with rolling hills rather than the severe, but striking, appearance of the Badlands. While walking around the grounds we saw a woman who was glassing for buffalo. Bear asked if she had seen any, but the reply was negative. However, it turns out that she is from the same town, Jerome, as Jackie and her dad was a barber who cut Jackie's dad's hair. She now lives in North Carolina. It is amazing how connected all of us are. Once we got to Bismarck we found a Super 8 and then went out to a Chinese buffet. Great meal. We'll be up early again tomorrow to pile up some more miles. One thing that is interesting about the plains is that the wind can blow in any direction within a couple of miles, and there seems to no correlation to geographical features. As we rode along, we would encounter strong winds coming from the left, which would last a few miles. Then the buffeting would stop, and in another few miles the wind would be strong from the right. However, the most challenging winds we have encountered so far were on the Mackinac Bridge.
Today we got up early and hopped on the interstate and headed to our objective, Bismarck, SD. Interstates are pretty uneventful, and in the case of Montana, traffic free. In a hundred miles we saw only about 10 cars on our side of the road. Once we got into North Dakota, traffic picked up and so did the heat, but not as bad as yesterday. Mercifully, there was a lot of cloud cover today and we even hit a little rain outside of Bismarck. After entering North Dakota, we decided to stop at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitor Center, which was right off I94. This was part of the Badlands that extends to South Dakota. The terrain is characterized by dry grasses and bluffs. Lightning ignites lignite that burns underground and the intense heat turns the dirt to red clinkers. During a rainstorm three to four inches of dirt along the bluffs will be eroded. Eventually the land will look like eastern Montana with rolling hills rather than the severe, but striking, appearance of the Badlands. While walking around the grounds we saw a woman who was glassing for buffalo. Bear asked if she had seen any, but the reply was negative. However, it turns out that she is from the same town, Jerome, as Jackie and her dad was a barber who cut Jackie's dad's hair. She now lives in North Carolina. It is amazing how connected all of us are. Once we got to Bismarck we found a Super 8 and then went out to a Chinese buffet. Great meal. We'll be up early again tomorrow to pile up some more miles. One thing that is interesting about the plains is that the wind can blow in any direction within a couple of miles, and there seems to no correlation to geographical features. As we rode along, we would encounter strong winds coming from the left, which would last a few miles. Then the buffeting would stop, and in another few miles the wind would be strong from the right. However, the most challenging winds we have encountered so far were on the Mackinac Bridge.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
8/7/08
Because of the rain the night before and some cloud cover it wasn't so cold this morning. However, it did look like it would rain some more, so we broke camp quickly and headed through the park to Bear Tooth Pass intending to eat breakfast after riding for a couple of hours. Well, that turned into lunch because of our progress through the park to the northeast gate. Fortunately for us we were able to view the bull elk we had been seeking, two of them in fact. They were foraging in a huge meadow and we were able to find a parking place and look at them for awhile because we had got into the park so early. As we rode through the northern end we saw more volcanic rock and hot springs. It is interesting that the buffalo will walk right up to these hot springs as evidenced by their footprints in the soil. There are signs everywhere telling you to stay on the boardwalk because the soil is fragile and you could fall into a boiling mudpot underneath it making me wonder whether a buffalo ever fell in. Standing there viewing the scene, one could imagine how the early explorers felt when they came upon such an bizarre sight. The terrain changed significantly as we neared the northeast entrance and Bear Tooth Highway. Upon exiting the park we were challenged again by road construction and out here that means tearing the highway down to dirt, gravel, or whatever is handy at the moment. At the end of this mess was Cooke City and lunch/breakfast. Our waitress, a Russian exchange student, told us that when she got to Cooke City in June, there was still two feet of snow on the ground and it will start snowing again in a few weeks. Bear Tooth highway should be experienced by everyone at some time or another. We thought we had seen the ultimate in splendor in the Cascades, but nothing else compares to this route. As we ascended the mountain winding our way up to the 11,000 foot summit along tight switchbacks,we stopped numerous times to take pictures and just take in the view. It was breathtaking being on top of the world and looking down on green alpine meadows containing snowfields well above tree line. The air was cool and refreshing and the bikes had no problem with the altitude. Reluctantly, we headed down the mountain and into some of the hottest temperatures we have seen in weeks, 110 degrees approaching Billings. The air is so dry that dehydration becomes an issue when exposing skin to the wind, so the best approach is to cover up. After three nights on the ground we are now at a Days Inn with air conditioning. We decided to quit early today and get an early start tomorrow before the day gets too hot.
Because of the rain the night before and some cloud cover it wasn't so cold this morning. However, it did look like it would rain some more, so we broke camp quickly and headed through the park to Bear Tooth Pass intending to eat breakfast after riding for a couple of hours. Well, that turned into lunch because of our progress through the park to the northeast gate. Fortunately for us we were able to view the bull elk we had been seeking, two of them in fact. They were foraging in a huge meadow and we were able to find a parking place and look at them for awhile because we had got into the park so early. As we rode through the northern end we saw more volcanic rock and hot springs. It is interesting that the buffalo will walk right up to these hot springs as evidenced by their footprints in the soil. There are signs everywhere telling you to stay on the boardwalk because the soil is fragile and you could fall into a boiling mudpot underneath it making me wonder whether a buffalo ever fell in. Standing there viewing the scene, one could imagine how the early explorers felt when they came upon such an bizarre sight. The terrain changed significantly as we neared the northeast entrance and Bear Tooth Highway. Upon exiting the park we were challenged again by road construction and out here that means tearing the highway down to dirt, gravel, or whatever is handy at the moment. At the end of this mess was Cooke City and lunch/breakfast. Our waitress, a Russian exchange student, told us that when she got to Cooke City in June, there was still two feet of snow on the ground and it will start snowing again in a few weeks. Bear Tooth highway should be experienced by everyone at some time or another. We thought we had seen the ultimate in splendor in the Cascades, but nothing else compares to this route. As we ascended the mountain winding our way up to the 11,000 foot summit along tight switchbacks,we stopped numerous times to take pictures and just take in the view. It was breathtaking being on top of the world and looking down on green alpine meadows containing snowfields well above tree line. The air was cool and refreshing and the bikes had no problem with the altitude. Reluctantly, we headed down the mountain and into some of the hottest temperatures we have seen in weeks, 110 degrees approaching Billings. The air is so dry that dehydration becomes an issue when exposing skin to the wind, so the best approach is to cover up. After three nights on the ground we are now at a Days Inn with air conditioning. We decided to quit early today and get an early start tomorrow before the day gets too hot.
8/6/08
Arising to some cold temperatures (in the 40's) we headed for breakfast at the KOA where Uncle Eddie informed us that he would be leaving after we road to the Canyons in Yellowstone Park. So, we let the sun warm things up a bit and then headed out to tour the park. For some of the trip we had to retrace our route from the day before, but you never know what kind of wildlife will crop up. We had seen some cow elk the night before, but of course they had left the area by the time we came back through. Yellowstone has a certain appeal to it, but is almost other worldly with its mud pots, fumeroles, and boiling springs and some of the most varied terrain we have seen on this trip. There was also a forrest fire raging that had already consumed 8000 acres and the smoke partly obscured the mountains in certain areas of the park. The park has numerous waterfalls, rushing streams and lush meadows along with the moon-like terrain. Wildlife was not as numerous as the last time I visited, but we did see significant numbers of buffalo, and elk. Some other tourists that Bear talked with saw bighorn sheep crossing the road in front of them. We are still looking for a bull elk. Arriving at the Canyons, we headed for the cafeteria and a cup of coffee to send off Uncle Eddie. After watching him ride off into the smoke, we headed for the Canyons where we were treated to large crowds all vying for a parking spot to view the waterfalls. The scene at the lower falls was rather ugly so we passed them up and found a spot to park at the upper falls. Yellowstone sits at a fairly high altitude and is basically a volcano with a crater that is 30 miles by 45 miles wide. Since the last eruption was 640,000 years ago, the rim of the crater is not well defined. As we continued our loop without Uncle Eddie, we found some herds of buffalo and then found Yellowstone Lake, a huge lake that is home to shore birds like pelicans, canada geese, sandhill cranes, and other waterfowl that nest on its isolated islands. There we sat on a bench for awhile and watched some kids play in the mud thankful that we didn't have to clean them up. Continuing on we found a bald eagle sitting in a tree and stopped to take his picture. It is not hard to know when wildlife is around as cars just stop in the middle of the road so the occupants can gawk at the scene. The day was rather gloomy with some sprinkles so we headed out of the park and stopped at Bullwinkle's for dinner. It got the name because its owner is a hunter who pursued a moose his entire life and finally got one. Baked beans came with everything on the menu, but that was not a problem since we had our own tents. I attempted to write this blog last night, but the mosquitos were maddening, worse than Glacier, and then it started to rain. So, we headed off to the tents and to bed, or whatever you call a sleeping bag and ground pad.
Arising to some cold temperatures (in the 40's) we headed for breakfast at the KOA where Uncle Eddie informed us that he would be leaving after we road to the Canyons in Yellowstone Park. So, we let the sun warm things up a bit and then headed out to tour the park. For some of the trip we had to retrace our route from the day before, but you never know what kind of wildlife will crop up. We had seen some cow elk the night before, but of course they had left the area by the time we came back through. Yellowstone has a certain appeal to it, but is almost other worldly with its mud pots, fumeroles, and boiling springs and some of the most varied terrain we have seen on this trip. There was also a forrest fire raging that had already consumed 8000 acres and the smoke partly obscured the mountains in certain areas of the park. The park has numerous waterfalls, rushing streams and lush meadows along with the moon-like terrain. Wildlife was not as numerous as the last time I visited, but we did see significant numbers of buffalo, and elk. Some other tourists that Bear talked with saw bighorn sheep crossing the road in front of them. We are still looking for a bull elk. Arriving at the Canyons, we headed for the cafeteria and a cup of coffee to send off Uncle Eddie. After watching him ride off into the smoke, we headed for the Canyons where we were treated to large crowds all vying for a parking spot to view the waterfalls. The scene at the lower falls was rather ugly so we passed them up and found a spot to park at the upper falls. Yellowstone sits at a fairly high altitude and is basically a volcano with a crater that is 30 miles by 45 miles wide. Since the last eruption was 640,000 years ago, the rim of the crater is not well defined. As we continued our loop without Uncle Eddie, we found some herds of buffalo and then found Yellowstone Lake, a huge lake that is home to shore birds like pelicans, canada geese, sandhill cranes, and other waterfowl that nest on its isolated islands. There we sat on a bench for awhile and watched some kids play in the mud thankful that we didn't have to clean them up. Continuing on we found a bald eagle sitting in a tree and stopped to take his picture. It is not hard to know when wildlife is around as cars just stop in the middle of the road so the occupants can gawk at the scene. The day was rather gloomy with some sprinkles so we headed out of the park and stopped at Bullwinkle's for dinner. It got the name because its owner is a hunter who pursued a moose his entire life and finally got one. Baked beans came with everything on the menu, but that was not a problem since we had our own tents. I attempted to write this blog last night, but the mosquitos were maddening, worse than Glacier, and then it started to rain. So, we headed off to the tents and to bed, or whatever you call a sleeping bag and ground pad.
8/2/08
Leaving Winthrop behind we headed to the Grand Coulee Dam. The weather has been great for riding, which is unusual for the high plains. It is usually stinking hot, but with low humidity. In fact the campground manager last night told us that it is only 7%. The Grand Coulee Dam, the biggest generator of electricity in the U.S., is 1 mile across the breast and is as high as the Space Needle in Seattle. On this leg of the trip we found gas availability to be a problem. Uncle Eddie had filled up in Winthrop the night before, but the Beemers had to stretch the tanks to 240 miles. Actually, it turned out to be not that much of a stretch as we had a gallon and a half left when we found fuel. The rest of the day was uneventful, but we are tenting again tonight. We are getting good at setting up and breaking camp. See you tomorrow.
8/03/08 – 8/4/08
After a cold night we broke camp and decided to stay on the interstate to make some miles. Our neighbor was an interesting guy named Eugene, an engineer. He was from Washington and was riding an 80s vintage BMW K750. Our objective was to get within 3 hours of Yellowstone. After two nights in a tent and no prospect of Kamping Kabins due to the weekend and the Canadian holiday, we decided on a hotel for the night. Amazingly, rooms were available, but the campgrounds were full. we decided on the Super 8 at Whitehall, MT giving us about a 400 mile day. Alas, this hotel accommodation was not to be. About 30 miles outside of Missoula the differential failed on Bear's bike. The radio was a real asset in this case as I heard him call for help. Uncle Eddie and I pulled to the shoulder and waited for him to come up behind. Looking at the oil dripping from the differential, we decided that this is not good, and the thing needed towed. Breaking out the BMW MOA book Bear got on the phone to the first guy on the list, who luckily answered his phone. Fred agreed to bring out his truck and get the wounded duck back to Missoula to Big Sky Motorsports, a BMW dealer. It was a welcome sight when he and Ann, his wife, arrived. Since it was Sunday he took the bike to his house and dropped us off at the Quality Inn, which was near the dealership. The next day we met him there, Bear riding my bike and me with Uncle Eddie again. Uncle Eddie decided that two big guys were too big for his bike. At least this time nobody yelled, "hey! who's the bitch on the back?", Chad, the only technician on duty that day, took the bike in and determined the problem, which was a failed hub bearing; he also agreed to change the differential oil in my bike and put a tire on the front. Expecting to be sitting a couple of days, we were amazed at the level of service this dealership provided to some stranded travelers, and strangers at that. Chad said that he could get us back on the road that day. While Uncle Eddie headed to a Harley dealership to get his oil changed, Fred offered to drive us around. We had a great time meeting some of his friends for lunch at the airport, Art a pilot like him, and Terry in charge of equipment maintenance. After lunch he took us over to one of the hangers to have a look at his airplane. Arriving at the dealership mid afternoon we found Chad had Bear's bike almost back together and Stinger's bike was done, there being no trash found in the differential oil. We bid goodbye to Fred and waited around a little while while the paperwork was done, and we were back on the road by 4:30. Adversity is not necessarily a bad thing and gives one the chance to meet some really awesome people. We are truly grateful for Fred's generosity, hospitality, and willingness to help, and want to express our thanks to all of the people at Big Sky Motorsports in Missoula. They have a friendly staff, a great stock of parts, a top technician in Chad, and conduct business professionally in all respects.
Leaving Missoula we headed for some great roads recommended by Fred. Our objective was Dillon, MT for no particular reason other than the fact we thought we could make it. The route was free of traffic and took us over some high passes. We could stop at different places and look 360 degrees and see no buildings. This part of Montana was really desolate. Fred recommended we stop at Bannack, a ghost town and the first capital of MT. It was a thriving town during the gold rush days, but once that activity dried up, the place declined until the last resident left town in the 1950's. Once we dissected Bannack, we headed to Dillon and some more tenting. The days are warm, in the 80s in MT, and the nights are cold. We woke up to low 40's temps, which really gets you moving. Once the sun comes up, it warms up in a hurry. One of the drawbacks with tenting is trying to find a place to write this blog and keeping the computer charged long enough to do it. The biggest challenge is dealing with the obnoxious mosquitos.
8/5/08
After breaking camp, we went back to eat breakfast at the Longhorn Saloon (we had been there the night before) and met Grace and her friends who get together every morning for breakfast. Grace owns Grace's New and Used, a variety shop. They straggled in one at a time over about 45 minutes. The owners of the place were handling the morning shift, so the service was more like help yourself, so much so that Bear ended up pouring coffee for everyone in the restaurant. He looked like a natural. We had a great conversation with them, and they gave us some tips on what to see when heading to Yellowstone, one of which was stopping at Quake Lake. This lake was formed in 1959 by the most powerful earthquake to ever hit the region when the side of a mountain fell into the river. Twenty nine people lost their lives, mostly vacationers. The quake caused 100 mile per hour winds and caused water to slosh over the Hebgen Dam, about five miles upstream. The Army Corp of Engineers had to work round the clock to build a spillway for the new lake to keep Hebgen Dam from failing due to the enormous amount of water that was backing up. Visting disasters such as Mt St Helens and Quake Lake, and the area around Yellowstone makes one realize that man has little effect on the environment. One can look at all of the films one wants, but until you stand on the edge of the blast zone at St Helens, or view the carnage caused by the earthquake at Quake Lake, there can be no appreciation of the power of nature. Continuing on we found a KOA at West Yellowstone, tents of course, set up camp, and headed to the park. I have discovered one of the paradoxes of life or maybe just a glimpse into the bureaucratic mind. When I showed my National Park Pass at the gate, I was asked for a photo ID, a not unreasonable request, but kind of dumb in light of the fact that I was wearing a helmet and sunglasses. I was not asked to remove the helmet, but was just waved through. This day we made it as far as Old Faithfull where we had dinner and where Uncle Eddie informed us he was leaving us on Friday and heading home. After Old Faithful, we headed back to camp and to bed diving into the tents before the mosquitos could get us.
Leaving Winthrop behind we headed to the Grand Coulee Dam. The weather has been great for riding, which is unusual for the high plains. It is usually stinking hot, but with low humidity. In fact the campground manager last night told us that it is only 7%. The Grand Coulee Dam, the biggest generator of electricity in the U.S., is 1 mile across the breast and is as high as the Space Needle in Seattle. On this leg of the trip we found gas availability to be a problem. Uncle Eddie had filled up in Winthrop the night before, but the Beemers had to stretch the tanks to 240 miles. Actually, it turned out to be not that much of a stretch as we had a gallon and a half left when we found fuel. The rest of the day was uneventful, but we are tenting again tonight. We are getting good at setting up and breaking camp. See you tomorrow.
8/03/08 – 8/4/08
After a cold night we broke camp and decided to stay on the interstate to make some miles. Our neighbor was an interesting guy named Eugene, an engineer. He was from Washington and was riding an 80s vintage BMW K750. Our objective was to get within 3 hours of Yellowstone. After two nights in a tent and no prospect of Kamping Kabins due to the weekend and the Canadian holiday, we decided on a hotel for the night. Amazingly, rooms were available, but the campgrounds were full. we decided on the Super 8 at Whitehall, MT giving us about a 400 mile day. Alas, this hotel accommodation was not to be. About 30 miles outside of Missoula the differential failed on Bear's bike. The radio was a real asset in this case as I heard him call for help. Uncle Eddie and I pulled to the shoulder and waited for him to come up behind. Looking at the oil dripping from the differential, we decided that this is not good, and the thing needed towed. Breaking out the BMW MOA book Bear got on the phone to the first guy on the list, who luckily answered his phone. Fred agreed to bring out his truck and get the wounded duck back to Missoula to Big Sky Motorsports, a BMW dealer. It was a welcome sight when he and Ann, his wife, arrived. Since it was Sunday he took the bike to his house and dropped us off at the Quality Inn, which was near the dealership. The next day we met him there, Bear riding my bike and me with Uncle Eddie again. Uncle Eddie decided that two big guys were too big for his bike. At least this time nobody yelled, "hey! who's the bitch on the back?", Chad, the only technician on duty that day, took the bike in and determined the problem, which was a failed hub bearing; he also agreed to change the differential oil in my bike and put a tire on the front. Expecting to be sitting a couple of days, we were amazed at the level of service this dealership provided to some stranded travelers, and strangers at that. Chad said that he could get us back on the road that day. While Uncle Eddie headed to a Harley dealership to get his oil changed, Fred offered to drive us around. We had a great time meeting some of his friends for lunch at the airport, Art a pilot like him, and Terry in charge of equipment maintenance. After lunch he took us over to one of the hangers to have a look at his airplane. Arriving at the dealership mid afternoon we found Chad had Bear's bike almost back together and Stinger's bike was done, there being no trash found in the differential oil. We bid goodbye to Fred and waited around a little while while the paperwork was done, and we were back on the road by 4:30. Adversity is not necessarily a bad thing and gives one the chance to meet some really awesome people. We are truly grateful for Fred's generosity, hospitality, and willingness to help, and want to express our thanks to all of the people at Big Sky Motorsports in Missoula. They have a friendly staff, a great stock of parts, a top technician in Chad, and conduct business professionally in all respects.
Leaving Missoula we headed for some great roads recommended by Fred. Our objective was Dillon, MT for no particular reason other than the fact we thought we could make it. The route was free of traffic and took us over some high passes. We could stop at different places and look 360 degrees and see no buildings. This part of Montana was really desolate. Fred recommended we stop at Bannack, a ghost town and the first capital of MT. It was a thriving town during the gold rush days, but once that activity dried up, the place declined until the last resident left town in the 1950's. Once we dissected Bannack, we headed to Dillon and some more tenting. The days are warm, in the 80s in MT, and the nights are cold. We woke up to low 40's temps, which really gets you moving. Once the sun comes up, it warms up in a hurry. One of the drawbacks with tenting is trying to find a place to write this blog and keeping the computer charged long enough to do it. The biggest challenge is dealing with the obnoxious mosquitos.
8/5/08
After breaking camp, we went back to eat breakfast at the Longhorn Saloon (we had been there the night before) and met Grace and her friends who get together every morning for breakfast. Grace owns Grace's New and Used, a variety shop. They straggled in one at a time over about 45 minutes. The owners of the place were handling the morning shift, so the service was more like help yourself, so much so that Bear ended up pouring coffee for everyone in the restaurant. He looked like a natural. We had a great conversation with them, and they gave us some tips on what to see when heading to Yellowstone, one of which was stopping at Quake Lake. This lake was formed in 1959 by the most powerful earthquake to ever hit the region when the side of a mountain fell into the river. Twenty nine people lost their lives, mostly vacationers. The quake caused 100 mile per hour winds and caused water to slosh over the Hebgen Dam, about five miles upstream. The Army Corp of Engineers had to work round the clock to build a spillway for the new lake to keep Hebgen Dam from failing due to the enormous amount of water that was backing up. Visting disasters such as Mt St Helens and Quake Lake, and the area around Yellowstone makes one realize that man has little effect on the environment. One can look at all of the films one wants, but until you stand on the edge of the blast zone at St Helens, or view the carnage caused by the earthquake at Quake Lake, there can be no appreciation of the power of nature. Continuing on we found a KOA at West Yellowstone, tents of course, set up camp, and headed to the park. I have discovered one of the paradoxes of life or maybe just a glimpse into the bureaucratic mind. When I showed my National Park Pass at the gate, I was asked for a photo ID, a not unreasonable request, but kind of dumb in light of the fact that I was wearing a helmet and sunglasses. I was not asked to remove the helmet, but was just waved through. This day we made it as far as Old Faithfull where we had dinner and where Uncle Eddie informed us he was leaving us on Friday and heading home. After Old Faithful, we headed back to camp and to bed diving into the tents before the mosquitos could get us.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
8/1/08
Spectacular. Stunning. There is no other way to describe the Northern Cascades. Since this was the last day the wives would be with us, we accompanied them to Anacortes and a craft fair. To a Toad attending a craft fair is the equivalent of watching grass grow. However, I did pick up a picture of our mascot, which I will frame and hang in my office when I get home. Taking a cue from the Toads Gailbird asked a local for a good place to eat. The somewhat surprising reply was a bowling alley. This was a new experience, a restaurant in a bowling alley. The food turned out to be really good although we believe they had to go out and slaughter a pig to get some ham for Stinger's sandwhich. After having said goodbye to the wives, the Toads headed off across WA 20 through the Cascade Range. We thought we had seen the mother of all scenery in Glacier National Park, but the best was yet to come with miles and miles of deep canyons, waterfalls, craggy snow covered peaks and rushing mountain streams. The weather was cool, cold actually, like 48 degrees through Rainy Pass. The grip heaters were a much appreciated feature on two of the Toad bikes, but the other less fortunate Toad could not enjoy that luxury. At one point we stopped and doubled back about ten miles just to get a good picture of some waterfalls. Because of its magnitude it is hard to capture the scene in pictures. Our campsite was a KOA in Winthrop, and this would be our third night of tenting since no camping cabins were available. Accommodations are tight right now due to Sturgis and a Canadian holiday. After setting up camp, we headed into Winthrop for some grubb (that is western lingo for food). We ended up at the Duck, which had outdoor seating, but it was a late supper. Heading back to the campground Uncle Eddie stopped at the post office to mail his application for a doe permit in PA this fall. We have to admit that the guy is prepared. It was a cold night, but the Toads were prepared.
8/2/08
Leaving Winthrop behind we headed to the Grand Coulee Dam. The weather has been great for riding, which is unusual for the high plains. It is usually stinking hot, but with low humidity. In fact the campground manager last night told us that it is only 7%. The Grand Coulee Dam, the biggest generator of electicity in the U.S., is 1 mile across the breast and is as high as the Space Needle in Seattle. On this leg of the trip we found gas availability to be a problem. Uncle Eddie had filled up in Winthrop the night before, but the Beemers had to stretch the tanks to 240 miles. Actually, it turned out to be not that much of a stretch as we had a gallon and a half left when we found fuel. The rest of the day was uneventful, but we are tenting again tonight. We are getting good at setting up and breaking camp. See you tomorrow.
Spectacular. Stunning. There is no other way to describe the Northern Cascades. Since this was the last day the wives would be with us, we accompanied them to Anacortes and a craft fair. To a Toad attending a craft fair is the equivalent of watching grass grow. However, I did pick up a picture of our mascot, which I will frame and hang in my office when I get home. Taking a cue from the Toads Gailbird asked a local for a good place to eat. The somewhat surprising reply was a bowling alley. This was a new experience, a restaurant in a bowling alley. The food turned out to be really good although we believe they had to go out and slaughter a pig to get some ham for Stinger's sandwhich. After having said goodbye to the wives, the Toads headed off across WA 20 through the Cascade Range. We thought we had seen the mother of all scenery in Glacier National Park, but the best was yet to come with miles and miles of deep canyons, waterfalls, craggy snow covered peaks and rushing mountain streams. The weather was cool, cold actually, like 48 degrees through Rainy Pass. The grip heaters were a much appreciated feature on two of the Toad bikes, but the other less fortunate Toad could not enjoy that luxury. At one point we stopped and doubled back about ten miles just to get a good picture of some waterfalls. Because of its magnitude it is hard to capture the scene in pictures. Our campsite was a KOA in Winthrop, and this would be our third night of tenting since no camping cabins were available. Accommodations are tight right now due to Sturgis and a Canadian holiday. After setting up camp, we headed into Winthrop for some grubb (that is western lingo for food). We ended up at the Duck, which had outdoor seating, but it was a late supper. Heading back to the campground Uncle Eddie stopped at the post office to mail his application for a doe permit in PA this fall. We have to admit that the guy is prepared. It was a cold night, but the Toads were prepared.
8/2/08
Leaving Winthrop behind we headed to the Grand Coulee Dam. The weather has been great for riding, which is unusual for the high plains. It is usually stinking hot, but with low humidity. In fact the campground manager last night told us that it is only 7%. The Grand Coulee Dam, the biggest generator of electicity in the U.S., is 1 mile across the breast and is as high as the Space Needle in Seattle. On this leg of the trip we found gas availability to be a problem. Uncle Eddie had filled up in Winthrop the night before, but the Beemers had to stretch the tanks to 240 miles. Actually, it turned out to be not that much of a stretch as we had a gallon and a half left when we found fuel. The rest of the day was uneventful, but we are tenting again tonight. We are getting good at setting up and breaking camp. See you tomorrow.
Friday, August 1, 2008
7/30/08
Our exit from the Super 8 Motel started ominously when Queen Bee dropped her suitcase down the stairs and bent the telescoping handle, which no longer functions that way. No pun intended, but she was as mad as a hornet. Finesse not being a word in his vocabulary, Bear jammed the handle back down as far as it would go, which was not all of the way. So, we may need to visit the Harley shop to get the thing fixed. The weather was looking like rain, so whoever needed it, donned rain gear and we headed out. It turns out that the rain held off for most of the day although we did run into a sprinkle before the next hotel. A casino stop was in order this day to satisfy the fix needed by Mary P. Uncle Eddie sat on a bench drinking coffee while Stinger read a magazine. Since we didn't make reservations for the ferry to Whidbey Island out of Port Townsend, we had to drive down to the ferry that left Kingston for Edmonds, WA. Kingston was farther south and little did we know that it would put us in heavy traffic. Trying to avoid the congestion on I5 we decided to go north on WA9. Bad idea. Gailbird's GPS took us through neighborhoods that haven't seen any tourists, ever, but not to 9. After driving around in what was in fact circles, Bear took over with his GPS. Well, we found 9, but also a lot of congestion. Losing patience with that we headed for the freeway and more congestion. Finally arriving at the hotel I looked at the odometer, which read 140 miles, our shortest leg of this trip so far. However, it felt more like 500 miles. After unpacking, Jackie and I met our good friends, Penne and Steve Sakuma for supper at Bob's Burgers next door to the hotel, and everyone else headed for a casino. This was a great place to eat, and afterwards we went back to their house for strawberry/blueberry/raspberry short cake, fruit straight from the farm, and their unmatched hospitality. It was like home away from home. I met Penne and Steve when we were in the Army 34 years ago. Penne used to feel sorry for a starving 2nd Lt and would invite me for dinner quite often. She is the quintessential chef and hostess. Steve has been the CEO of Sakuma Bros Farms, specializing in blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, since retiring from the service in 1996.
7/31/08
This was our first day off the bikes in a while. After breakfast Steve picked us up at the hotel and gave us a tour of the farm. Uncle Eddie and Mary P hadn't seen the farm before, but for the rest of us, it was our second tour. We always look forward to these tours because we get to eat blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries straight off the vine. For lunch we went to the farm store and Steve treated us to whatever ice cream we wanted. In the afternoon we came back and rested for a while trying to build an appetite because we were invited to Penne and Steve's house for dinner along with their children, grandchildren and Steve's mom. It was a great time had by all, and as usual, Penne cooked up a meal that was out of this world. We topped that off with more shortcake, so the Toads have built up a store of fat for the ride home. Thank you Penne and Steve. All of us appreciated the great hospitality, and the chance to get together, which doesn't happen often enough.
8/1/08
Another day off the bikes saw us take the train to Seattle for a quick tour of the city and a couple of activities we always wanted to do like riding in the Duck Boats and touring the underground. In its early history Seattle has had issues with plumbing because it sits close to sea level. We learned that the city was founded by a doctor who modeled its development after Cleveland, OH, his previous home, and that 33 blocks of it burned down in 1889. The city was rebuilt, but the requirement was that the buildings be made of brick and mortar instead of wood. The city wanted to raise the level of the streets from 10 to 30 feet to solve the drainage problem, but the merchants didn't want to wait the eleven years it would take to do it. So the city gave them the ok to go ahead and rebuild observing the brick and mortar requirement, and then told them they would be building the streets up to the level previously mentioned. That is what they did so the second floor of the merchant establishments were now at street level, but the sidewalks were at the original level. Because they ran out of money, the city provided ladders to get up and down to the sidewalks to cross the street for two years. Finally, they filled in the gaps next to the buildings covering the sidewalks and building new ones right up to the second floor. The duck boat tour was really good too. We got a tour of the city on land and water by a US Coast Guard Captain. These duck boats are converted amphibious landing craft used by the military. The water version was the highlight of the tour when we went out on Lake Union in the middle of the city. Lake Union is the busiest lake in the U.S. Float planes are constantly flying in and out while the lake is being used by kayakers, skullers, house boats, police boats, duck boats, and private boats and commercial shipping. This is not a big lake. There was a bit of tension when the wipers failed on the boat (it started to rain) and the tour guide/driver tried to fix it, but to no avail. The issue was making the last train back to Burlington. However, the rain let up and he got us back to the monorail so we could made the connection.
Our exit from the Super 8 Motel started ominously when Queen Bee dropped her suitcase down the stairs and bent the telescoping handle, which no longer functions that way. No pun intended, but she was as mad as a hornet. Finesse not being a word in his vocabulary, Bear jammed the handle back down as far as it would go, which was not all of the way. So, we may need to visit the Harley shop to get the thing fixed. The weather was looking like rain, so whoever needed it, donned rain gear and we headed out. It turns out that the rain held off for most of the day although we did run into a sprinkle before the next hotel. A casino stop was in order this day to satisfy the fix needed by Mary P. Uncle Eddie sat on a bench drinking coffee while Stinger read a magazine. Since we didn't make reservations for the ferry to Whidbey Island out of Port Townsend, we had to drive down to the ferry that left Kingston for Edmonds, WA. Kingston was farther south and little did we know that it would put us in heavy traffic. Trying to avoid the congestion on I5 we decided to go north on WA9. Bad idea. Gailbird's GPS took us through neighborhoods that haven't seen any tourists, ever, but not to 9. After driving around in what was in fact circles, Bear took over with his GPS. Well, we found 9, but also a lot of congestion. Losing patience with that we headed for the freeway and more congestion. Finally arriving at the hotel I looked at the odometer, which read 140 miles, our shortest leg of this trip so far. However, it felt more like 500 miles. After unpacking, Jackie and I met our good friends, Penne and Steve Sakuma for supper at Bob's Burgers next door to the hotel, and everyone else headed for a casino. This was a great place to eat, and afterwards we went back to their house for strawberry/blueberry/raspberry short cake, fruit straight from the farm, and their unmatched hospitality. It was like home away from home. I met Penne and Steve when we were in the Army 34 years ago. Penne used to feel sorry for a starving 2nd Lt and would invite me for dinner quite often. She is the quintessential chef and hostess. Steve has been the CEO of Sakuma Bros Farms, specializing in blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, since retiring from the service in 1996.
7/31/08
This was our first day off the bikes in a while. After breakfast Steve picked us up at the hotel and gave us a tour of the farm. Uncle Eddie and Mary P hadn't seen the farm before, but for the rest of us, it was our second tour. We always look forward to these tours because we get to eat blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries straight off the vine. For lunch we went to the farm store and Steve treated us to whatever ice cream we wanted. In the afternoon we came back and rested for a while trying to build an appetite because we were invited to Penne and Steve's house for dinner along with their children, grandchildren and Steve's mom. It was a great time had by all, and as usual, Penne cooked up a meal that was out of this world. We topped that off with more shortcake, so the Toads have built up a store of fat for the ride home. Thank you Penne and Steve. All of us appreciated the great hospitality, and the chance to get together, which doesn't happen often enough.
8/1/08
Another day off the bikes saw us take the train to Seattle for a quick tour of the city and a couple of activities we always wanted to do like riding in the Duck Boats and touring the underground. In its early history Seattle has had issues with plumbing because it sits close to sea level. We learned that the city was founded by a doctor who modeled its development after Cleveland, OH, his previous home, and that 33 blocks of it burned down in 1889. The city was rebuilt, but the requirement was that the buildings be made of brick and mortar instead of wood. The city wanted to raise the level of the streets from 10 to 30 feet to solve the drainage problem, but the merchants didn't want to wait the eleven years it would take to do it. So the city gave them the ok to go ahead and rebuild observing the brick and mortar requirement, and then told them they would be building the streets up to the level previously mentioned. That is what they did so the second floor of the merchant establishments were now at street level, but the sidewalks were at the original level. Because they ran out of money, the city provided ladders to get up and down to the sidewalks to cross the street for two years. Finally, they filled in the gaps next to the buildings covering the sidewalks and building new ones right up to the second floor. The duck boat tour was really good too. We got a tour of the city on land and water by a US Coast Guard Captain. These duck boats are converted amphibious landing craft used by the military. The water version was the highlight of the tour when we went out on Lake Union in the middle of the city. Lake Union is the busiest lake in the U.S. Float planes are constantly flying in and out while the lake is being used by kayakers, skullers, house boats, police boats, duck boats, and private boats and commercial shipping. This is not a big lake. There was a bit of tension when the wipers failed on the boat (it started to rain) and the tour guide/driver tried to fix it, but to no avail. The issue was making the last train back to Burlington. However, the rain let up and he got us back to the monorail so we could made the connection.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
7/28
The sky was blue and the air was crisp this morning. Gailbird and Jackie were riding in the car. Stinger , Bear , Uncle Eddie and Mary P all donned their motorcycle protective apparel. Even Uncle Eddie wore a helmet due to the state law. Pacific Coastal Highway 101 North with a destination of Port Angeles , Washington about 200 miles.
Off we went, I love when the warmth of the sun kisses my cheeks and the gust of wind tip toes across my face. Along the road was the evergreen forest combined with the green meadows with patches of tall brilliant colored wildflowers adorning the landscape. Bridges we traveled to cross streams and rivers. Road signs here are unlike Pa. ,such as , Rocks , Slide Area, Tsunami evacuation routes, moose and elk crossings. Gas prices here for regular gas ranges from $ 4.07 - $ 4.89 a gallon.
Uncle Eddie had three 10 inch diameter pancakes this morning and he complained that it felt like lead in his stomach all day. I experienced his releasing of gas pressure periodically through the day while we were riding the Harley. Mary P.
What a ride up through the Olympic Peninsula! The weather was perfect, in the high 60's and clear which is unusual for a rain forest, and the road was a great motorcycle road in most places. Some of it was as straight as a die, but a lot of it was the twisty stuff that faithfully follows a coast line, roads that are nonexistent through most of the mid section of the country. The Peninsula has seen a lot of clear cutting and it is obvious that the logging companies are very aware of the “Save Our Trees” mindset held by many people. As we traveled Highway 101, we could see signs posted with the last date that a particular plot was cut, the date it was replanted, and the date that it would again be harvested. Our destination for this day was the Olympic Rain Forest tour, which was only a half mile of walking, but gave one a clear understanding of how this ecosystem works. This section of the peninsula has never been harvested and is highlighted by a 900 year old Douglas Fir. Douglas Fir are a tree that grows after a disaster like a fire or the devastation of a Mt St Helens. In fact it can double root, meaning it can be buried in mud to the top and grow again, one of the only trees that can do that. New trees won't grow in an old growth forest because of the canopy and eventually it is replaced by species like Western Red Cedar. Because trees in the rain forest have such a shallow root system, their biggest enemy, causing 80% of mortality, is storms. The Peninsula gets on average 145 inches of rainfall a year. We saw trees growing out of trees, called nurse logs that had been felled by natural disasters. This situation can only happen in a rain forest because of the abundant moisture. The nurse log can hold tons of water, which sustains the “parasite” tree during the drier months of July and August. Our next stop was Ruby Beach, a place that we could view sea stacks. Sea Stacks are the rock left after wave action erodes away the softer rock. They stick up out of the beach like towers or bluffs. At this location we also saw the carcasses of huge trees washed up on the beach and bleached white by the sun. Then it was time to head to Port Angeles and the hotel. At this point Mary P decided she had enough of Uncle Eddie and opted for the car. Actually, she thought it was going to rain and the temperature kept dropping. About 15 minutes after we were underway Uncle Eddie pulled up alongside Bear and, lacking a radio, tried to communicate with much shouting and gesticulation, that he had left her at the beach. It turns out that she laid down in the back seat to take a nap, and Uncle Eddie couldn't see her in the car, hence his concern. Bear radiod the car to confirm she was there, crisis averted. Then miraculously Mary P's broken and missing glasses reappeared, all of it except the screw of course. The temple piece was found in her riding jacket, and the glasses were found in her camera case along with an old church bulletin and wedding program, items most people would file elsewhere like in a trash can. So, here we are at the Super 8 Motel in Port Angeles, all of us, including Mary P. And we made it to the Pacific Ocean where Bear got his feat wet and Stinger, like all good journalists, put himself in harms way to cover the story. See you tomorrow.
The sky was blue and the air was crisp this morning. Gailbird and Jackie were riding in the car. Stinger , Bear , Uncle Eddie and Mary P all donned their motorcycle protective apparel. Even Uncle Eddie wore a helmet due to the state law. Pacific Coastal Highway 101 North with a destination of Port Angeles , Washington about 200 miles.
Off we went, I love when the warmth of the sun kisses my cheeks and the gust of wind tip toes across my face. Along the road was the evergreen forest combined with the green meadows with patches of tall brilliant colored wildflowers adorning the landscape. Bridges we traveled to cross streams and rivers. Road signs here are unlike Pa. ,such as , Rocks , Slide Area, Tsunami evacuation routes, moose and elk crossings. Gas prices here for regular gas ranges from $ 4.07 - $ 4.89 a gallon.
Uncle Eddie had three 10 inch diameter pancakes this morning and he complained that it felt like lead in his stomach all day. I experienced his releasing of gas pressure periodically through the day while we were riding the Harley. Mary P.
What a ride up through the Olympic Peninsula! The weather was perfect, in the high 60's and clear which is unusual for a rain forest, and the road was a great motorcycle road in most places. Some of it was as straight as a die, but a lot of it was the twisty stuff that faithfully follows a coast line, roads that are nonexistent through most of the mid section of the country. The Peninsula has seen a lot of clear cutting and it is obvious that the logging companies are very aware of the “Save Our Trees” mindset held by many people. As we traveled Highway 101, we could see signs posted with the last date that a particular plot was cut, the date it was replanted, and the date that it would again be harvested. Our destination for this day was the Olympic Rain Forest tour, which was only a half mile of walking, but gave one a clear understanding of how this ecosystem works. This section of the peninsula has never been harvested and is highlighted by a 900 year old Douglas Fir. Douglas Fir are a tree that grows after a disaster like a fire or the devastation of a Mt St Helens. In fact it can double root, meaning it can be buried in mud to the top and grow again, one of the only trees that can do that. New trees won't grow in an old growth forest because of the canopy and eventually it is replaced by species like Western Red Cedar. Because trees in the rain forest have such a shallow root system, their biggest enemy, causing 80% of mortality, is storms. The Peninsula gets on average 145 inches of rainfall a year. We saw trees growing out of trees, called nurse logs that had been felled by natural disasters. This situation can only happen in a rain forest because of the abundant moisture. The nurse log can hold tons of water, which sustains the “parasite” tree during the drier months of July and August. Our next stop was Ruby Beach, a place that we could view sea stacks. Sea Stacks are the rock left after wave action erodes away the softer rock. They stick up out of the beach like towers or bluffs. At this location we also saw the carcasses of huge trees washed up on the beach and bleached white by the sun. Then it was time to head to Port Angeles and the hotel. At this point Mary P decided she had enough of Uncle Eddie and opted for the car. Actually, she thought it was going to rain and the temperature kept dropping. About 15 minutes after we were underway Uncle Eddie pulled up alongside Bear and, lacking a radio, tried to communicate with much shouting and gesticulation, that he had left her at the beach. It turns out that she laid down in the back seat to take a nap, and Uncle Eddie couldn't see her in the car, hence his concern. Bear radiod the car to confirm she was there, crisis averted. Then miraculously Mary P's broken and missing glasses reappeared, all of it except the screw of course. The temple piece was found in her riding jacket, and the glasses were found in her camera case along with an old church bulletin and wedding program, items most people would file elsewhere like in a trash can. So, here we are at the Super 8 Motel in Port Angeles, all of us, including Mary P. And we made it to the Pacific Ocean where Bear got his feat wet and Stinger, like all good journalists, put himself in harms way to cover the story. See you tomorrow.
Sunday, July 27
Despite wanting to see Mt. St. Helen's (since we were around at the time of the eruption as opposed to young people we met who only heard about it from their parents), Queen Bee and Gailbird had had enough of rocks and trees and decided they needed to see some shops! Plus we were tired of long car rides ...... so we parted ways with Stinger and the Bear and headed off to Astoria, OR. Uncle Eddie and Mary P. headed off on the Harley to ride route 101 along the coastline of OR – they didn't want to make the trek to Mt.St. Helen's either. We were lucky enough to hit the Sunday market there which was three city blocks of street vendors selling everything from jewelry (yeah!) to flowers and produce. There was a great river front walk with lots of seafood shops and restaurants, so of course we had to try one for lunch. It was called the Wet Dog Cafe and Brewery – the food was great and the atmosphere really unique. Then, we decided to get back to nature and headed for the Cape Disappointment State Park, WA (we still don't know why it is called Cape Disappoinment). This was part of the Lewis and Clark Trail. There we managed to hike through the woods over 1.5 miles to see two light houses – to be honest the light houses themselves really weren't that special looking but thank goodness the views were. Then, with the assistance of Gabby the GPS, we managed to arrive at the Boardwalk Cottages. These are really neat individual cottages 1 block off the ocean – reminds me of places I stayed on summer vacations as a child in Dewey Beach, Delaware. Gailbird.
Determined to see the Mt St Helens area, Bear and Stinger parted company with the rest of the contingent and headed northeast. Looking for some twisty roads, we trusted the GPS to get us there as opposed to using the map. While we had the opportunity to ride a really twisty road, it turned out to be a 15 mile dead end. Of course the sign was only a mile from the end. Looking at the map later showed it went nowhere, but we had a good time discovering that. After getting on the right route, we stopped for gas and headed to St Helens. Along the way there are stopping off points to view the area affected by the blast. By coincidence we pulled off at one on the edge of the blast zone, which was 14.8 miles from the crater. Everything in its path to that point was destroyed by heat and wind. In fact if we had been standing there that day, we would have been toasted. Some climbers on Mt Adams over 20 miles away reported feeling the temperature rise 30 to 40 degrees 10 minutes after the eruption. The water in Silver Lake was forced 850 feet up the sides of the adjacent mountains and a river of mud and debris flowed down all sides of the mountain including the Toutle River. At one of the stopping points we found a ranger who told us that the road we were traveling used to be in the valley and at the point we were standing, the original road was buried under 50 feet of mud and ash. The average depth of the ash and mud was about 250 feet. You can see how the river is cutting a new channel in the surface, but not much has changed after 28 years. There are big areas where no growth has occurred because there's not much in the way of nutrients in the ash. At this same location we were able to view a herd of Elk including a bull that was bedded some distance away. Continuing on, the temperature dropped as we kept climbing and the road became wet and treacherous from a brief shower before we got there. There wasn't enough rain to wash away the oil from the cars and the generous amount of aggregate in the road surface doesn't lend itself to great traction when the roadway is wet. Our final stop was to view the crater which was enshrouded in clouds when we first stopped, but patience paid off as we were able to view the lava dome from about 2 to 3 miles away. Then it was off to find the cottages at Long Beach, our accommodations for the night. We had to backtrack the way we came and then head out the peninsula on US 30. Bear got to test his antilock brakes when a car started to turn in front of him, but she did stop - inattention blindness. If you want to know more about that subject, read my newsletter at www.roberts-automotive.com. Incredibly, all of the Toad contingent arrived at the cottages within 15 minutes of each other. After checking in we headed for dinner, which was not that impressive, and then for a walk on the boardwalk. Long Beach is just that. You can see for miles. The sand is not like the east coast. It is really fine and dark, and must be ground up volcanic ash. There is not much commercialization here either. This is a great spot and I would highly recommend Boardwalk Cottages as a place to stay if you are looking for a laid back vacation. From here you can make some day trips into the Olympic Peninsula, which is where we are now headed and then on to accommodations in Port Angeles. See you tonight.
Despite wanting to see Mt. St. Helen's (since we were around at the time of the eruption as opposed to young people we met who only heard about it from their parents), Queen Bee and Gailbird had had enough of rocks and trees and decided they needed to see some shops! Plus we were tired of long car rides ...... so we parted ways with Stinger and the Bear and headed off to Astoria, OR. Uncle Eddie and Mary P. headed off on the Harley to ride route 101 along the coastline of OR – they didn't want to make the trek to Mt.St. Helen's either. We were lucky enough to hit the Sunday market there which was three city blocks of street vendors selling everything from jewelry (yeah!) to flowers and produce. There was a great river front walk with lots of seafood shops and restaurants, so of course we had to try one for lunch. It was called the Wet Dog Cafe and Brewery – the food was great and the atmosphere really unique. Then, we decided to get back to nature and headed for the Cape Disappointment State Park, WA (we still don't know why it is called Cape Disappoinment). This was part of the Lewis and Clark Trail. There we managed to hike through the woods over 1.5 miles to see two light houses – to be honest the light houses themselves really weren't that special looking but thank goodness the views were. Then, with the assistance of Gabby the GPS, we managed to arrive at the Boardwalk Cottages. These are really neat individual cottages 1 block off the ocean – reminds me of places I stayed on summer vacations as a child in Dewey Beach, Delaware. Gailbird.
Determined to see the Mt St Helens area, Bear and Stinger parted company with the rest of the contingent and headed northeast. Looking for some twisty roads, we trusted the GPS to get us there as opposed to using the map. While we had the opportunity to ride a really twisty road, it turned out to be a 15 mile dead end. Of course the sign was only a mile from the end. Looking at the map later showed it went nowhere, but we had a good time discovering that. After getting on the right route, we stopped for gas and headed to St Helens. Along the way there are stopping off points to view the area affected by the blast. By coincidence we pulled off at one on the edge of the blast zone, which was 14.8 miles from the crater. Everything in its path to that point was destroyed by heat and wind. In fact if we had been standing there that day, we would have been toasted. Some climbers on Mt Adams over 20 miles away reported feeling the temperature rise 30 to 40 degrees 10 minutes after the eruption. The water in Silver Lake was forced 850 feet up the sides of the adjacent mountains and a river of mud and debris flowed down all sides of the mountain including the Toutle River. At one of the stopping points we found a ranger who told us that the road we were traveling used to be in the valley and at the point we were standing, the original road was buried under 50 feet of mud and ash. The average depth of the ash and mud was about 250 feet. You can see how the river is cutting a new channel in the surface, but not much has changed after 28 years. There are big areas where no growth has occurred because there's not much in the way of nutrients in the ash. At this same location we were able to view a herd of Elk including a bull that was bedded some distance away. Continuing on, the temperature dropped as we kept climbing and the road became wet and treacherous from a brief shower before we got there. There wasn't enough rain to wash away the oil from the cars and the generous amount of aggregate in the road surface doesn't lend itself to great traction when the roadway is wet. Our final stop was to view the crater which was enshrouded in clouds when we first stopped, but patience paid off as we were able to view the lava dome from about 2 to 3 miles away. Then it was off to find the cottages at Long Beach, our accommodations for the night. We had to backtrack the way we came and then head out the peninsula on US 30. Bear got to test his antilock brakes when a car started to turn in front of him, but she did stop - inattention blindness. If you want to know more about that subject, read my newsletter at www.roberts-automotive.com. Incredibly, all of the Toad contingent arrived at the cottages within 15 minutes of each other. After checking in we headed for dinner, which was not that impressive, and then for a walk on the boardwalk. Long Beach is just that. You can see for miles. The sand is not like the east coast. It is really fine and dark, and must be ground up volcanic ash. There is not much commercialization here either. This is a great spot and I would highly recommend Boardwalk Cottages as a place to stay if you are looking for a laid back vacation. From here you can make some day trips into the Olympic Peninsula, which is where we are now headed and then on to accommodations in Port Angeles. See you tonight.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
7/26/08
Although The Dalles had more to offer, we packed up and headed toward Portland with a stop at Cascade Locks for a cruise on a sternwheeler up and down the Columbia River. This excursion was set up by Mary P and proved to be a relaxing way to spend the day. The whole affair started off with a champagne brunch with everything from shrimp, to cesar salad, to locks and more served in an elegant dining room. The brunch was served immediately after we boarded and the boat stayed docked until most of the passengers had eaten. Once underway the captain gave us a history and geography lesson. When Lewis and Clark traversed this waterway, there were rapids and falls on it so they had to portage around those on their way to Oregon City. Now there are a series of dams, which can be bypassed by locks making it a navigable waterway. We didn't get to go through a lock because our cruise was too short, but we did get to see a sailboat race, although lacking a program we had no idea who was winning. Because of some favorable geographical features the area around the Cascade Locks is perfect for water activities such as kite boarding and sailboarding. Moving on we made a beeline to Portland and the Saturday Market, which didn't much interest the male contingent of the Toads group. We managed to park ourselves at a Starbucks until the ladies exhausted their shopping proclivities or ran out of cash, neither of which could be determined by the males. Exiting the city was a challenge, but Bear and his GPS got us out, although we lost the ladies in the process. Not to worry though as they showed up shortly after we arrived at the hotel in St Helens, OR, another Best Western of course. We should be getting credits from these guys by now. After checking in and resting for 20 minutes (a long time for this group), we were off to a family style restaurant for halibut. Great dinner and to top off the evening we went to Wal Mart, Uncle Eddie's favorite store. Bear and I got to listen to him grouse about Wal Mart not selling guns in the East anymore, while Mary P went shopping for sunglasses to replace the ones she had broken/lost. It all started when the screw fell out of the temple piece, escalated to a crisis when she lost the temple piece, and became a calamity when she lost the rest of the glasses. Even though we expected Uncle Eddie to linger in the sporting goods section awhile, he surprised us with his decisiveness, purchasing a fleece sleeping bag in record time.
Not knowing what to expect when we planned this expedition almost a year and a half ago, we have found that we are discovering destinations for future vacations. We are constantly on the move, rarely staying anywhere more than two nights. This approach has allowed us to gather enough information about places we have visited to decide whether it would make sense to revisit those areas at a future time and explore them more thoroughly. In the process we have made some unusual discoveries, like Detroit. Who would ever think of going there for a vacation? And Mackinac Island is certainly a place that the wives would love to visit of a week. Covering great distances on motorcycles has been easier and more enjoyable than those same distances in a car. By its very nature riding a motorcycle forces one to pay attention reducing the boredom factor. Inattention will almost certainly get one injured or worse, and there is the element factor with gusting winds, temperature changes, and road surface changes. Oregon for some reason uses the most abrasive surface on their roads that I have seen anywhere outside of Arkansas. There is a lot of aggregate (rock) mixed into the black top creating a lot of road noise and making the bike feel unstable. In other places the road is just torn up and one is riding on dirt for miles. Bear has discovered a utility for the helmet one wouldn't normally think about, deflecting rocks. Already 4500 miles have passed under our tires including about 1000 with the ladies. While a 250 mile sight-seeing trip is nothing to the Toads anymore, the ladies are tired of riding and want a day off. There is talk of visiting Mt St Helens tomorrow, but that is a 250 mile trip including the route to our next accommodation, lodges right on the beach in Washington just north of Astoria, OR. Stay tuned to find out whether to Toads wimp out.
Although The Dalles had more to offer, we packed up and headed toward Portland with a stop at Cascade Locks for a cruise on a sternwheeler up and down the Columbia River. This excursion was set up by Mary P and proved to be a relaxing way to spend the day. The whole affair started off with a champagne brunch with everything from shrimp, to cesar salad, to locks and more served in an elegant dining room. The brunch was served immediately after we boarded and the boat stayed docked until most of the passengers had eaten. Once underway the captain gave us a history and geography lesson. When Lewis and Clark traversed this waterway, there were rapids and falls on it so they had to portage around those on their way to Oregon City. Now there are a series of dams, which can be bypassed by locks making it a navigable waterway. We didn't get to go through a lock because our cruise was too short, but we did get to see a sailboat race, although lacking a program we had no idea who was winning. Because of some favorable geographical features the area around the Cascade Locks is perfect for water activities such as kite boarding and sailboarding. Moving on we made a beeline to Portland and the Saturday Market, which didn't much interest the male contingent of the Toads group. We managed to park ourselves at a Starbucks until the ladies exhausted their shopping proclivities or ran out of cash, neither of which could be determined by the males. Exiting the city was a challenge, but Bear and his GPS got us out, although we lost the ladies in the process. Not to worry though as they showed up shortly after we arrived at the hotel in St Helens, OR, another Best Western of course. We should be getting credits from these guys by now. After checking in and resting for 20 minutes (a long time for this group), we were off to a family style restaurant for halibut. Great dinner and to top off the evening we went to Wal Mart, Uncle Eddie's favorite store. Bear and I got to listen to him grouse about Wal Mart not selling guns in the East anymore, while Mary P went shopping for sunglasses to replace the ones she had broken/lost. It all started when the screw fell out of the temple piece, escalated to a crisis when she lost the temple piece, and became a calamity when she lost the rest of the glasses. Even though we expected Uncle Eddie to linger in the sporting goods section awhile, he surprised us with his decisiveness, purchasing a fleece sleeping bag in record time.
Not knowing what to expect when we planned this expedition almost a year and a half ago, we have found that we are discovering destinations for future vacations. We are constantly on the move, rarely staying anywhere more than two nights. This approach has allowed us to gather enough information about places we have visited to decide whether it would make sense to revisit those areas at a future time and explore them more thoroughly. In the process we have made some unusual discoveries, like Detroit. Who would ever think of going there for a vacation? And Mackinac Island is certainly a place that the wives would love to visit of a week. Covering great distances on motorcycles has been easier and more enjoyable than those same distances in a car. By its very nature riding a motorcycle forces one to pay attention reducing the boredom factor. Inattention will almost certainly get one injured or worse, and there is the element factor with gusting winds, temperature changes, and road surface changes. Oregon for some reason uses the most abrasive surface on their roads that I have seen anywhere outside of Arkansas. There is a lot of aggregate (rock) mixed into the black top creating a lot of road noise and making the bike feel unstable. In other places the road is just torn up and one is riding on dirt for miles. Bear has discovered a utility for the helmet one wouldn't normally think about, deflecting rocks. Already 4500 miles have passed under our tires including about 1000 with the ladies. While a 250 mile sight-seeing trip is nothing to the Toads anymore, the ladies are tired of riding and want a day off. There is talk of visiting Mt St Helens tomorrow, but that is a 250 mile trip including the route to our next accommodation, lodges right on the beach in Washington just north of Astoria, OR. Stay tuned to find out whether to Toads wimp out.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Our journey to Orofino wouldn't be complete without describing the Lolo Pass and visitors center. I neglected to say that US 12 took us over the route that Lewis and Clark followed through the Bitterroot Mountains . The visitors center at the border of Montana and Idaho gave a thorough account of the Lewis and Clark expedition and the difficulty of negotiating this formidable terrain. A remarkable statistic is that over a two and a half year journey they only lost one person and that was to appendicitis. On a heavier note, the men burned 13,ooo calories per day and required 9 pounds of meat per day to sustain that level of activity. After the visitor center it was on to Lewiston where we found a museum that chronicled the life of Abraham Lincoln. Expecting to find a Lewis and Clark exhibit, we instead got a lesson in history complete with copies of original documents and some of the last communications that Lincoln wrote before his death. It kind of seemed out of place, but was interesting anyway. Crossing the border between Idaho and Washington we headed for Hermiston, OR.
The Best Western in Hermiston, famous for its watermelons, did not compare to where we had stayed the night before, but was comfortable nonetheless. The area was more industrial park than anything else, so we had to get in the car with Bear on his bike to find dinner and headed to Hale's Restaurant, recommended by the front desk. Great place, but we were getting to dinner later each night. I ordered a Cesar salad, which couldn't be finished at any normal hour much less 9:30 PM. Nobody else could finish their dinners either. The ride across southern Washington and into Oregon was really hot(95 deg on the bike thermometers), so Bear and I jumped right in the pool when we got here. Traveling with the ladies has been interesting and fun although we had to indoctrinate them on coordinating bathroom stops with Uncle Eddie's carbon needs. When he stops for gas, they get to use the bathroom.
7/25/08
As we bid farewell to Hermiston, we looked forward to touring the Mount Hood area and the Dalles. The Dalles is a tourist area right on the Columbia River. Expecting another hot day we were pleasantly surprised to be able to travel in comfortable temperatures only because we escaped the Hermiston area before the day got too old. Our route took us right along the Columbia River, which is beautiful, wide, and windy. We found dozens of people sailboarding, but the wind didn't prove to be too bad for the bikes. Arriving at The Dalles we dropped off some bags at the hotel bell desk because we were too early to check in and headed out US 30(yes the same one as in Lancaster) and stopped at the Discovery Center situated on the river. We watched a film detailing life on the Oregon Trail, which turned out to be a couple of miles wide at some points only because the travelers were choked with dust as they walked toward their destination. Thirty thousand people died making the trip from the Missouri territory to Oregon, mostly from disease. Contrary to the movies and TV, people walked alongside the wagons which were loaded with their possessions. There wasn't any room for anyone to ride except for the sick and children too young to walk. It made one stop and think about the hardships these people were willing to endure to seek a better life. The Discovery Center held much more, but it was time to visit Mount Hood. Our destination was the Timberline Lodge, which you can guess was located at Timberline. Mt Hood is a dormant volcano that is 11,100 feet high and Timberline was located at about 5500 ft. As we ascended the road to the lodge we could see snow still lying in the forest. Constructed entirely of wood, Timberline Lodge is a magnificent structure with massive columns inside and sturdy construction to say the least. It has many guest rooms, dining room, bar, etc all elegantly decorated. Probably costs a mint to stay there. On the way back from Timberline we stopped at a fruit stand and the ladies made another stop for wine and cheese for a party in Bear and Gail-Bird's room. Tomorrow we are taking a cruise down the Columbia on a paddle wheel boat and then heading for Portland.
The Best Western in Hermiston, famous for its watermelons, did not compare to where we had stayed the night before, but was comfortable nonetheless. The area was more industrial park than anything else, so we had to get in the car with Bear on his bike to find dinner and headed to Hale's Restaurant, recommended by the front desk. Great place, but we were getting to dinner later each night. I ordered a Cesar salad, which couldn't be finished at any normal hour much less 9:30 PM. Nobody else could finish their dinners either. The ride across southern Washington and into Oregon was really hot(95 deg on the bike thermometers), so Bear and I jumped right in the pool when we got here. Traveling with the ladies has been interesting and fun although we had to indoctrinate them on coordinating bathroom stops with Uncle Eddie's carbon needs. When he stops for gas, they get to use the bathroom.
7/25/08
As we bid farewell to Hermiston, we looked forward to touring the Mount Hood area and the Dalles. The Dalles is a tourist area right on the Columbia River. Expecting another hot day we were pleasantly surprised to be able to travel in comfortable temperatures only because we escaped the Hermiston area before the day got too old. Our route took us right along the Columbia River, which is beautiful, wide, and windy. We found dozens of people sailboarding, but the wind didn't prove to be too bad for the bikes. Arriving at The Dalles we dropped off some bags at the hotel bell desk because we were too early to check in and headed out US 30(yes the same one as in Lancaster) and stopped at the Discovery Center situated on the river. We watched a film detailing life on the Oregon Trail, which turned out to be a couple of miles wide at some points only because the travelers were choked with dust as they walked toward their destination. Thirty thousand people died making the trip from the Missouri territory to Oregon, mostly from disease. Contrary to the movies and TV, people walked alongside the wagons which were loaded with their possessions. There wasn't any room for anyone to ride except for the sick and children too young to walk. It made one stop and think about the hardships these people were willing to endure to seek a better life. The Discovery Center held much more, but it was time to visit Mount Hood. Our destination was the Timberline Lodge, which you can guess was located at Timberline. Mt Hood is a dormant volcano that is 11,100 feet high and Timberline was located at about 5500 ft. As we ascended the road to the lodge we could see snow still lying in the forest. Constructed entirely of wood, Timberline Lodge is a magnificent structure with massive columns inside and sturdy construction to say the least. It has many guest rooms, dining room, bar, etc all elegantly decorated. Probably costs a mint to stay there. On the way back from Timberline we stopped at a fruit stand and the ladies made another stop for wine and cheese for a party in Bear and Gail-Bird's room. Tomorrow we are taking a cruise down the Columbia on a paddle wheel boat and then heading for Portland.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
7/24/08
Leaving Whitefish we headed down MT 93 to US 12. This road was awesome, although the ladies got tired of looking at a river for 80 miles. I have never seen a presttier drive than this. The road is faithful to the river with light traffic, sweeping curves and beautiful vistas, a perfect motorcycle road. The curves were much more predictable than the Needles highway. The only issue we had was finding gas for Uncle Eddie as there is nothing on this road for miles. When we finally found a place, Bear and I decided to pass due to a minimum purchase with a credit card of $25. Uncle Eddie paid cash and the exhorbitant price and we moved on finding another station about 25 miles down the road. The ladies were so impressed with the Best Western at Whitefish that they made reservations at one in Orofino, ID. This one was really impressive, brand new and right on the river. We ordered pizza for take out and sat at the outside tables to enjoy a great meal without having to leave the place. Then we went for a walk around town, which took all of 20 minutes. Not much here.
Leaving Whitefish we headed down MT 93 to US 12. This road was awesome, although the ladies got tired of looking at a river for 80 miles. I have never seen a presttier drive than this. The road is faithful to the river with light traffic, sweeping curves and beautiful vistas, a perfect motorcycle road. The curves were much more predictable than the Needles highway. The only issue we had was finding gas for Uncle Eddie as there is nothing on this road for miles. When we finally found a place, Bear and I decided to pass due to a minimum purchase with a credit card of $25. Uncle Eddie paid cash and the exhorbitant price and we moved on finding another station about 25 miles down the road. The ladies were so impressed with the Best Western at Whitefish that they made reservations at one in Orofino, ID. This one was really impressive, brand new and right on the river. We ordered pizza for take out and sat at the outside tables to enjoy a great meal without having to leave the place. Then we went for a walk around town, which took all of 20 minutes. Not much here.
7/20/08
It was great to meet up with the wives at Glacier after not having seen them for two weeks, and we didn't have to wonder what we would be doing next. A horseback ride, which was approached with some trepidation by Stinger, was the next order of business for Monday. Not being able to sign up until the afternoon, we got something to eat and took a hike around the lake. The mosquitos around here are as big as B52's. Mary was well protected however. A rain jacket and constantly flailing one's arms around works well to ward off the little pests as well as build an appetite. Well, the big moment arrived and we headed for a debriefing and a bunch of paperwork. It was almost like signing papers to authorize surgery in a hospital. Actually, this activity proved to be rather enjoyable. The waves of dust kicked up by the horses kept flying pests at bay and noboby had any issues except Jackie and Gail. Jackie's horse kept wanting to stop and eat, so Gail's horse decided to do the same. Jackie kept jerking it's head up and saying “no” just like she was talking to Lucy, our dog. We were waiting for her to say “bad horse!”, but it never happened. The end of the day saw us celebrating Uncle Eddie's birthday at the Cattle Baron's Supper Club. The outing had another purpose also as we were to witness his ability to down a 32 ounce steak, but alas, they didn't offer it in that size anymore. He took the next best thing, a 26 ounce steak, but it proved to be no challenge. Bear and Stinger threw down the gauntlet of a 72 ounce steak in 2 hours at the BMW Rally in Gillette, but he wouldn't take it. Uncle Eddie does know his limits.
Left Glacier under cloudy skies with a little rain, and headed for the Best Western in Whitefish MT. Since the Road to the Sun was torn up, we headed to MT 2, which goes around the bottom of the park. This proved to be a pretty ride although this road was also torn up in places. Had a great meal at an Italian restaurant at the end of the day and there were no incidents to report.
It was great to meet up with the wives at Glacier after not having seen them for two weeks, and we didn't have to wonder what we would be doing next. A horseback ride, which was approached with some trepidation by Stinger, was the next order of business for Monday. Not being able to sign up until the afternoon, we got something to eat and took a hike around the lake. The mosquitos around here are as big as B52's. Mary was well protected however. A rain jacket and constantly flailing one's arms around works well to ward off the little pests as well as build an appetite. Well, the big moment arrived and we headed for a debriefing and a bunch of paperwork. It was almost like signing papers to authorize surgery in a hospital. Actually, this activity proved to be rather enjoyable. The waves of dust kicked up by the horses kept flying pests at bay and noboby had any issues except Jackie and Gail. Jackie's horse kept wanting to stop and eat, so Gail's horse decided to do the same. Jackie kept jerking it's head up and saying “no” just like she was talking to Lucy, our dog. We were waiting for her to say “bad horse!”, but it never happened. The end of the day saw us celebrating Uncle Eddie's birthday at the Cattle Baron's Supper Club. The outing had another purpose also as we were to witness his ability to down a 32 ounce steak, but alas, they didn't offer it in that size anymore. He took the next best thing, a 26 ounce steak, but it proved to be no challenge. Bear and Stinger threw down the gauntlet of a 72 ounce steak in 2 hours at the BMW Rally in Gillette, but he wouldn't take it. Uncle Eddie does know his limits.
Left Glacier under cloudy skies with a little rain, and headed for the Best Western in Whitefish MT. Since the Road to the Sun was torn up, we headed to MT 2, which goes around the bottom of the park. This proved to be a pretty ride although this road was also torn up in places. Had a great meal at an Italian restaurant at the end of the day and there were no incidents to report.
Today's entry is from the ladies of the group otherwise known as the “Lady Toads”. The ladies are usually known as Jackie (Queen Bee), Mary (Mary P.) and Gail (Gailbird). Wednesday, July 23 – the day began with cloudy skies after raining throughout the night. Queen Bee promptly gave the wrong directions to the Bear and we headed off in the complete wrong direction. Once we listened to Gail's GPS (named Gabby), we headed in the right direction. After we left Whitefish, MT we drove 300 miles on scenic route 12 following the path of Lewis and Clark. The lovely ladies are now saturated by having seen nothing but rocks and trees for 6 hours and are now really ready to see some urban life! We were disappointed in that we saw no wildlife on this leg of the trip – the only wild life we saw were three gray haired guys at the end of the day with helmets off and a wild tired look in their eyes. (of course they'd never admit to being tired). Mary says she sees more wildlife on Wilmar Drive in Tunkhannock every morning on her way to work! As we followed Uncle Eddie in our support vehicle (a 2008 Nissan Altima) all we could see were orange bungie cords holding things together on his Harley – his head doesn't even stick up above all the stuff. The Bear either sat on or tramped on his glasses last night (he's not sure, imagine that!) and now is limited to being able to see only distances – so much for being able to see the GPS on his bike. So, guess who was leading the expedition for most of today?? However, we got to our destination without problems and now it's time for pizza and beverages. Of course with the ladies present the focus is now on good food, good wine and entertainment. The Toads say they are very happy to have us here, but in reality we know we have complicated their trip! (in a good way no less) Rocks and trees, rocks and trees, that's all for now.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
18 July to 20 July
We hung around the rally all day taking in the different vendors and socializing with the participants. Getting a shower is a big deal at a rally, something you take for granted at home, but with 8 to ten thousand people in one spot, it becomes a luxury. Tenting for the first time in 25 years proved to be an enjoyable experience, but not something the Toads would go out of their way to do. KOA Kamping Kabins feel like the Hilton after the camping experience. With some severe weather closing in Thursday evening, Bear and Stinger (PJ) decided to head for the beer garden, actually a huge warehouse where everyone could gather for just that kind of reason. Of course the beer was more than enough incentive to head over there. Uncle Eddie decided to hibernate in his tent. While having a beer and planning (a foreign idea for Toads) our next move, I overheard the guy next to me making some references to Pennsylvania, so I asked where he was from. Pittsburgh was the reply so he and Bear struck up a conversation. Turned out they knew each other from high school. Rabbit Alexis now lives at the base of a mountain in Colorado, skis 50 days a year, and has bartended most of his life. Starting off life as a teacher drove him to drink, hence his new profession. Amazing. Travel 3000 miles and run into somebody you grew up with. The announcement came that the storm had passed so we bid goodbye to our buddies and headed off to the tents. Around midnight we awoke to probably one of the worst storms we have seen anywhere with constant lightning, pounding rain and high winds that lasted for hours. In the first hour I didn't see any water coming in so went back to sleep. In the morning we found that our tent setup was good and, unlike some of our neighbors, the Toads were dry. Some of our campers lacked common sense or didn't believe it would rain as they set up in low areas or didn't stake the tents. One camper was in a swamp and another had mud wash into and around his tent. With predictions of another storm coming that afternoon, the Toads decided that they had got all they could out of this event and broke camp. Getting out of the place proved to be a real challenge due to the mud. Bear and Uncle Eddie made it out, but Stinger dropped his bike in the mud and had to visit the bike wash before leaving. The bike wash proved to be an effective way to get the mud off himself also. Breakfast was the next order of business, and due to the number of motorcyclists in town, took about an hour and a half. Finally departing the place we headed for Devil's Tower and some really dramatic topography. Uncle Eddie told the park ranger at the booth that Gene and I were Arab terrorists planning to blow up Devil's Tower. I'll include a picture of it because it is kind of hard to describe.
Traveling through the country and being able to observe the varying topography gives one a real appreciation of the power of nature, especially on a motorcycle because you become a part of the environment, feeling temperature changes instantly as well as various odors, and the ability to predict rain. As we headed into darkening skies, we had a sense that this storm was one we should sit out, so a gas stop was in order. A friendly manager of the convenience store let us park the bikes under the canopy, so we sat around deciding where to camp for the night while the storm played itself out. It proved to be a wise choice. We left for Hardin, MT and Kamping Kabins that night. Hardin is a couple of houses, a gas station, the Purple Cow restaurant and a golf course restaurant. Pulling into the campground I noticed that the stones were fairly deep and soft in places, not a hospitable environment for a motorcycle. I parked about ten feet from the front as did Bear and Uncle Eddie. However, rather than back up Uncle Eddie (or Fred Flinstone) decided to make a right turn and promptly sunk the bike to the mufflers in the stones. With stones flying everywhere, Bear and I looked on in amazement as he dug a 50 foot trench with the rear wheel in a successful attempt to extricate himself from the morass. We were hoping the owner wouldn't charge us to regrade the place. We're now convinced his motorcycle could pull a two bottom plow. Dinner was only two choices so we headed for the golf course where Bear dropped his bike in the parking lot. After righting it we headed inside for a delicious meal, Uncle Eddie's tune up for the 32 ounce steak he will attempt to eat at the Cattlemen's Club outside of Glacier Park.
Our next objective was the site of the Battle of Little Big Horn at Custer National Park. Luckily, we decided to listen to a presentation by a park ranger before touring the park. His ability to relate the story of the events leading up to the battle and of the battle itself brought the event to life like nothing we have experienced before. Touring the battlefield afterward, one could “see” the Indian encampments and envision the events as they unfolded. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Custer was ordered into the area by his commanding officers based on the intelligence they had at the time. It was really a moving experience.
Moving on we headed to Great Falls, MT, where we were expecting to tent again since no Kabins were available. Not being happy with the site, we decide to try one 40 miles farther on, but first we needed food and found a Chinese restaurant. After stuffing ourselves on Chinese and as we were leaving the parking lot, Uncle Eddied dropped his bike. After righting it, we headed for the gas station where Stinger dropped his bike and got catapualted about six feet in the process landing on his shoulder and head. At this point we have a new rally cry: One for All, All for One, We Dropped Them All. This was going to be another trip to the emergency room and maybe the end of the trip for him. A state patrolman called for an ambulance, which came out, but an EMT, who was there checked him out and it was decided to put him on the back of Uncle Eddie's bike, his first ride on a Harley, and a trip to the emergency room. Fortunately, it turned out to be a sprain. However, Stinger is now convinced that this bike could pull a two bottom plow. By 11 pm most of the hotel rooms were taken, but the hospital staff found us one room with two double beds at a Best Western. As we headed to the hotel with Stinger on Uncle Eddie's bike we were stopped by a cop because we went through a red light that wouldn't change. The guy actually believed Uncle Eddie's story about his injury and let us go. Meanwhile Bear, not noticing the cruiser's lights, kept going. Now we had no idea of the location of the hotel, but we kept forging ahead and found him coming back toward us. Checking in at the hotel, Uncle Eddie was attempting to remove Stinger's helmet, but was taking his head with it. It was obvious he had no skills at removing another person's helmet. Putting it on was not much better as he got his ears folded over on the first attempt. We pretty much resembled the Three Stooges with them putting the helmet on and taking it off to pick up a prescription and some other stuff at the drug store. By the next day Stinger could put it on by himself, but not get it off. The hotel accommodations proved to be the most sensitive with Bear and Uncle Eddie sharing a queen size bed. Stinger didn't sleep too well so had a chance to observe this situation first hand. It was probably the first time in history that two individuals were able to sleep in the same bed and not move an inch. Bear befriended the EMT, Doug, who stored Stinger's bike until the next morning. I was determined to ride and 660 grams of Advil and a Tylenol later, we were heading for Glacier Park with Doug, whose buddies wimped out on him when he wanted to ride. Not sure if Bear and Uncle Eddie conspired to have him go along or not. The drive as one approaches Glacier cannot be described in words. The beauty of the place is beyond descripition. We arrived before our wives so we perched on the couch in the lobby, had a couple of beers and rated the people walking by on the deck in front of us. On a scale of one to ten, none scored higher than a five. Realizing we were minutes away from relinquishing the unstructured life we lead for the last two weeks, we had a couple more beers.
We hung around the rally all day taking in the different vendors and socializing with the participants. Getting a shower is a big deal at a rally, something you take for granted at home, but with 8 to ten thousand people in one spot, it becomes a luxury. Tenting for the first time in 25 years proved to be an enjoyable experience, but not something the Toads would go out of their way to do. KOA Kamping Kabins feel like the Hilton after the camping experience. With some severe weather closing in Thursday evening, Bear and Stinger (PJ) decided to head for the beer garden, actually a huge warehouse where everyone could gather for just that kind of reason. Of course the beer was more than enough incentive to head over there. Uncle Eddie decided to hibernate in his tent. While having a beer and planning (a foreign idea for Toads) our next move, I overheard the guy next to me making some references to Pennsylvania, so I asked where he was from. Pittsburgh was the reply so he and Bear struck up a conversation. Turned out they knew each other from high school. Rabbit Alexis now lives at the base of a mountain in Colorado, skis 50 days a year, and has bartended most of his life. Starting off life as a teacher drove him to drink, hence his new profession. Amazing. Travel 3000 miles and run into somebody you grew up with. The announcement came that the storm had passed so we bid goodbye to our buddies and headed off to the tents. Around midnight we awoke to probably one of the worst storms we have seen anywhere with constant lightning, pounding rain and high winds that lasted for hours. In the first hour I didn't see any water coming in so went back to sleep. In the morning we found that our tent setup was good and, unlike some of our neighbors, the Toads were dry. Some of our campers lacked common sense or didn't believe it would rain as they set up in low areas or didn't stake the tents. One camper was in a swamp and another had mud wash into and around his tent. With predictions of another storm coming that afternoon, the Toads decided that they had got all they could out of this event and broke camp. Getting out of the place proved to be a real challenge due to the mud. Bear and Uncle Eddie made it out, but Stinger dropped his bike in the mud and had to visit the bike wash before leaving. The bike wash proved to be an effective way to get the mud off himself also. Breakfast was the next order of business, and due to the number of motorcyclists in town, took about an hour and a half. Finally departing the place we headed for Devil's Tower and some really dramatic topography. Uncle Eddie told the park ranger at the booth that Gene and I were Arab terrorists planning to blow up Devil's Tower. I'll include a picture of it because it is kind of hard to describe.
Traveling through the country and being able to observe the varying topography gives one a real appreciation of the power of nature, especially on a motorcycle because you become a part of the environment, feeling temperature changes instantly as well as various odors, and the ability to predict rain. As we headed into darkening skies, we had a sense that this storm was one we should sit out, so a gas stop was in order. A friendly manager of the convenience store let us park the bikes under the canopy, so we sat around deciding where to camp for the night while the storm played itself out. It proved to be a wise choice. We left for Hardin, MT and Kamping Kabins that night. Hardin is a couple of houses, a gas station, the Purple Cow restaurant and a golf course restaurant. Pulling into the campground I noticed that the stones were fairly deep and soft in places, not a hospitable environment for a motorcycle. I parked about ten feet from the front as did Bear and Uncle Eddie. However, rather than back up Uncle Eddie (or Fred Flinstone) decided to make a right turn and promptly sunk the bike to the mufflers in the stones. With stones flying everywhere, Bear and I looked on in amazement as he dug a 50 foot trench with the rear wheel in a successful attempt to extricate himself from the morass. We were hoping the owner wouldn't charge us to regrade the place. We're now convinced his motorcycle could pull a two bottom plow. Dinner was only two choices so we headed for the golf course where Bear dropped his bike in the parking lot. After righting it we headed inside for a delicious meal, Uncle Eddie's tune up for the 32 ounce steak he will attempt to eat at the Cattlemen's Club outside of Glacier Park.
Our next objective was the site of the Battle of Little Big Horn at Custer National Park. Luckily, we decided to listen to a presentation by a park ranger before touring the park. His ability to relate the story of the events leading up to the battle and of the battle itself brought the event to life like nothing we have experienced before. Touring the battlefield afterward, one could “see” the Indian encampments and envision the events as they unfolded. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Custer was ordered into the area by his commanding officers based on the intelligence they had at the time. It was really a moving experience.
Moving on we headed to Great Falls, MT, where we were expecting to tent again since no Kabins were available. Not being happy with the site, we decide to try one 40 miles farther on, but first we needed food and found a Chinese restaurant. After stuffing ourselves on Chinese and as we were leaving the parking lot, Uncle Eddied dropped his bike. After righting it, we headed for the gas station where Stinger dropped his bike and got catapualted about six feet in the process landing on his shoulder and head. At this point we have a new rally cry: One for All, All for One, We Dropped Them All. This was going to be another trip to the emergency room and maybe the end of the trip for him. A state patrolman called for an ambulance, which came out, but an EMT, who was there checked him out and it was decided to put him on the back of Uncle Eddie's bike, his first ride on a Harley, and a trip to the emergency room. Fortunately, it turned out to be a sprain. However, Stinger is now convinced that this bike could pull a two bottom plow. By 11 pm most of the hotel rooms were taken, but the hospital staff found us one room with two double beds at a Best Western. As we headed to the hotel with Stinger on Uncle Eddie's bike we were stopped by a cop because we went through a red light that wouldn't change. The guy actually believed Uncle Eddie's story about his injury and let us go. Meanwhile Bear, not noticing the cruiser's lights, kept going. Now we had no idea of the location of the hotel, but we kept forging ahead and found him coming back toward us. Checking in at the hotel, Uncle Eddie was attempting to remove Stinger's helmet, but was taking his head with it. It was obvious he had no skills at removing another person's helmet. Putting it on was not much better as he got his ears folded over on the first attempt. We pretty much resembled the Three Stooges with them putting the helmet on and taking it off to pick up a prescription and some other stuff at the drug store. By the next day Stinger could put it on by himself, but not get it off. The hotel accommodations proved to be the most sensitive with Bear and Uncle Eddie sharing a queen size bed. Stinger didn't sleep too well so had a chance to observe this situation first hand. It was probably the first time in history that two individuals were able to sleep in the same bed and not move an inch. Bear befriended the EMT, Doug, who stored Stinger's bike until the next morning. I was determined to ride and 660 grams of Advil and a Tylenol later, we were heading for Glacier Park with Doug, whose buddies wimped out on him when he wanted to ride. Not sure if Bear and Uncle Eddie conspired to have him go along or not. The drive as one approaches Glacier cannot be described in words. The beauty of the place is beyond descripition. We arrived before our wives so we perched on the couch in the lobby, had a couple of beers and rated the people walking by on the deck in front of us. On a scale of one to ten, none scored higher than a five. Realizing we were minutes away from relinquishing the unstructured life we lead for the last two weeks, we had a couple more beers.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
7/16/08
This area of the country is motorcycling nirvana. Between Ohio and here the only reason to turn is to avoid road construction, but getting into the western South Dakota area it is easy to find roads with lots of twists and turns. The road leading to the Needles highway is awesome with smooth pavement and lots of elevation changes. The Needles is much more challenging with unpredictable pavement, sharp switchbacks combined with elevation changes and banked turns that lull you into taking a line more constistent with the way roads are built in the east, only to suck you to the inside unexpectedly. Also, we noticed a lot more decreasing radius turns out here on the major roads than in the east. Leaving the campground we decided to visit the Crazy Horse exhibit and tour the Wind Cave Loop, which lead us to the Custer State Park loop. Buffalo as well as antelope were in abundance on both of these routes, and we even encountered some wild donkeys that as you will see from the pictures were wild in name only. Crazy Horse has changed a lot since I had been there in 1997. The progress on the memorial itself wasn't all that aparent, but the visitors center was expanded considerably with a lot more information than previously. The curious thing about it was that there was no story of Crazy Horse himself, but there was extensive history of the architect who was working on the project. He has since died, but he had a wife and ten kids, 7 of whom are carrying out the work. From the looks of things, it won't be done in my lifetime. Continuing on from Crazy Horse and through the Wind Cave Loop, Custer State Park, and Needles Highway, we passed Mount Rushmore and made a stop in Deadwood for lunch/dinner. Deadwood is kind of a tourist trap, but interesting nonetheless. By then the day was getting late so we decided to make a beeline to the rally by the fastest route, which was about 100 miles of I90. Expecting to have our pick of campsites, we were shocked to discover tents everwhere. This would be our first night of tent camping, and the weather prediction was for severe thunderstorms with hail. Fortunately, that didn't happen. However, there is no shade so activities must be planned accordingly, in other words, there would be no afternoon nap (I tried though). Although temperatures were cool, it was a tough night for sleeping with a freight train running by the place every hour and hard ground. We registered Thursday morning and walked around the vendor exhibits until noon. Our neighbors (and in this situation that could be everyone) have a basset/beagle combination, which didn't howl and wouldn't have made more noise than the train anyway. The owner rides an ancient BMW with what looks like home made saddlebags. In the afternoon, Gene and I attended some seminars, one of which was really interesting and involved riding two up on bikes. The seminar leader was the editor of the BMW Owners Magazine. It was standing room only. Uncle Eddie headed for Sturgis, about 150 miles away, trying to track down a headset. We loaned him my phone since his doesn't work, but there is no chance that he will answer if we call since he can't hear the thing ring. This is a huge rally with tents everywhere and quite an experience. BMW rallies are quiet affairs, almost erie. There is more noise from humans than the bikes, which is alright with us. Right now we are sitting in a shelter waiting out a severe weather warning. I'll try to get some pictures up on the blog tomorrow.
This area of the country is motorcycling nirvana. Between Ohio and here the only reason to turn is to avoid road construction, but getting into the western South Dakota area it is easy to find roads with lots of twists and turns. The road leading to the Needles highway is awesome with smooth pavement and lots of elevation changes. The Needles is much more challenging with unpredictable pavement, sharp switchbacks combined with elevation changes and banked turns that lull you into taking a line more constistent with the way roads are built in the east, only to suck you to the inside unexpectedly. Also, we noticed a lot more decreasing radius turns out here on the major roads than in the east. Leaving the campground we decided to visit the Crazy Horse exhibit and tour the Wind Cave Loop, which lead us to the Custer State Park loop. Buffalo as well as antelope were in abundance on both of these routes, and we even encountered some wild donkeys that as you will see from the pictures were wild in name only. Crazy Horse has changed a lot since I had been there in 1997. The progress on the memorial itself wasn't all that aparent, but the visitors center was expanded considerably with a lot more information than previously. The curious thing about it was that there was no story of Crazy Horse himself, but there was extensive history of the architect who was working on the project. He has since died, but he had a wife and ten kids, 7 of whom are carrying out the work. From the looks of things, it won't be done in my lifetime. Continuing on from Crazy Horse and through the Wind Cave Loop, Custer State Park, and Needles Highway, we passed Mount Rushmore and made a stop in Deadwood for lunch/dinner. Deadwood is kind of a tourist trap, but interesting nonetheless. By then the day was getting late so we decided to make a beeline to the rally by the fastest route, which was about 100 miles of I90. Expecting to have our pick of campsites, we were shocked to discover tents everwhere. This would be our first night of tent camping, and the weather prediction was for severe thunderstorms with hail. Fortunately, that didn't happen. However, there is no shade so activities must be planned accordingly, in other words, there would be no afternoon nap (I tried though). Although temperatures were cool, it was a tough night for sleeping with a freight train running by the place every hour and hard ground. We registered Thursday morning and walked around the vendor exhibits until noon. Our neighbors (and in this situation that could be everyone) have a basset/beagle combination, which didn't howl and wouldn't have made more noise than the train anyway. The owner rides an ancient BMW with what looks like home made saddlebags. In the afternoon, Gene and I attended some seminars, one of which was really interesting and involved riding two up on bikes. The seminar leader was the editor of the BMW Owners Magazine. It was standing room only. Uncle Eddie headed for Sturgis, about 150 miles away, trying to track down a headset. We loaned him my phone since his doesn't work, but there is no chance that he will answer if we call since he can't hear the thing ring. This is a huge rally with tents everywhere and quite an experience. BMW rallies are quiet affairs, almost erie. There is more noise from humans than the bikes, which is alright with us. Right now we are sitting in a shelter waiting out a severe weather warning. I'll try to get some pictures up on the blog tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
7/15/08
After yesterday's challenges the Super 8 was a real luxury. Again, we awoke to cloudless skies, but the temperature was more normal, about 68 degrees, which felt good compared to the hot ride of the day before. Little did we know that what we thought was hot, was actually nothing. As we rode toward the Badlands, it started getting hot and kept getting hotter. Our objective was to tour the Badlands and then make Wall, SD a stop for gas and ice cream. The Badlands are a national park, so we bought a national park pass because we will be hitting more of them on this trip. Entering the Badlands the temperature on the bike thermometers showed 110. Needless to say, we didn't make too many stops at the cut outs, but did get some good pictures and saw a herd of antelope. The ice cream at Wall Drug, 35 miles distant, sounded really good by this point so we pointed the bikes toward that target. Forty minutes later we were downing ice cream cones and drinking the free water and ice that was advertised on the billboards along I90. Here we broke with our objective of staying off the interstates. Since time was of the essence, we decided that traveling that way would give us more time in the Badlands. Actually, it gave us more time at Wall Drug. Needing to make our next campground in Custer, SD, we reluctantly left the comfort of the air conditioning and ventured back out into the heat. A snag developed when Gene couldn't find his keys, so he left the bike in the middle of the parking lot and went back to the store. This damn parking lot was about 150 degrees and I think the heat was getting to him because I found them stuck in the lock of his top case. Uncle Eddie had to go track him down while I watched the bikes. Well, the ride to Rapid City, SD was no cooler, and in fact I could feel the heat from the macadam through my socks and boots. Things changed dramatically as we got away from Rapid City and ascended into the mountains passing Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore to get to the Custer KOA and another Kamping Kabin. So, here we are as usual with me writing the blog and the other two toads sawing logs. Tomorrow we are going to check out the Needles highway, Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore.
After yesterday's challenges the Super 8 was a real luxury. Again, we awoke to cloudless skies, but the temperature was more normal, about 68 degrees, which felt good compared to the hot ride of the day before. Little did we know that what we thought was hot, was actually nothing. As we rode toward the Badlands, it started getting hot and kept getting hotter. Our objective was to tour the Badlands and then make Wall, SD a stop for gas and ice cream. The Badlands are a national park, so we bought a national park pass because we will be hitting more of them on this trip. Entering the Badlands the temperature on the bike thermometers showed 110. Needless to say, we didn't make too many stops at the cut outs, but did get some good pictures and saw a herd of antelope. The ice cream at Wall Drug, 35 miles distant, sounded really good by this point so we pointed the bikes toward that target. Forty minutes later we were downing ice cream cones and drinking the free water and ice that was advertised on the billboards along I90. Here we broke with our objective of staying off the interstates. Since time was of the essence, we decided that traveling that way would give us more time in the Badlands. Actually, it gave us more time at Wall Drug. Needing to make our next campground in Custer, SD, we reluctantly left the comfort of the air conditioning and ventured back out into the heat. A snag developed when Gene couldn't find his keys, so he left the bike in the middle of the parking lot and went back to the store. This damn parking lot was about 150 degrees and I think the heat was getting to him because I found them stuck in the lock of his top case. Uncle Eddie had to go track him down while I watched the bikes. Well, the ride to Rapid City, SD was no cooler, and in fact I could feel the heat from the macadam through my socks and boots. Things changed dramatically as we got away from Rapid City and ascended into the mountains passing Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore to get to the Custer KOA and another Kamping Kabin. So, here we are as usual with me writing the blog and the other two toads sawing logs. Tomorrow we are going to check out the Needles highway, Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore.
Monday, July 14, 2008
7/14/08
Today we awoke to cloudless skies and a temperature of 48 degrees. Glad I took a shower last night. Gene and I didn't cover our bikes, which were soaking wet with dew when we got up this morning. Apparently Harley guys don't cover their bikes at all. It was interesting that we passed a town this morning that had a John Deere tractor dealership and a Harley dealership right next to each other. The BMW owners can only conclude that they must be located that way to make it easy to swap parts back and forth. After another hardy breakfast and a couple of wrong turns, we headed for the Aerostitch Factory. This place is located in the low rent district of Duluth and is so nondescript that we passed it twice before finally getting it right. It is a model of efficiency and of how to run a business on a tight budget. We picked up a couple of things and headed for somewhere in South Dakota. Minnesota is supposed to be the land of 10,000 lakes, but we saw more water in South Dakota. Right before we got into SD, we came upon a windmill operation that numbered 350. They stretched for as far as the eye could see, and they weren't small by any stretch of the imagination. Keeping to our plan to stay off the interstates, we met some challenging situations, the worst one being a road resurfacing operation (oil and chip no less) that stretched for miles. It was signed at 40 mph, we were doing 55 and a lunatic in a semi passed us. Being showered with loose gravel from a semi was no fun, and having stowed his helmet safely in the saddle bags, Uncle Eddie took the worst of it. Restraint not being his strong point, he gave the guy the finger after we repassed him on some better road. We were safely ahead and pulling away when Bear took a wrong turn and we ended up right behind the doofus again. Not good. We played cat and mouse with the guy for miles before we finally took another route. Uncle Eddie has still not cooled off. It being another 400 plus mile day, we decided on a Super 8 motel, and had a burger (Eddie had two) in some Irish Pub in Heron, SD. The plan is to ride to somewhere else in SD tomorrow far, far away from this place. These are some wide open spaces. Wondering what the bikes would do, Gene and I took them up to 101 mph and were still 2000 rpm below redline. Uncle Eddie stayed with us but said that he was about tapped out. The Harley guy has been coming down hard on the Beemer guys saying our bikes sound like coffee grinders, but so far we haven't had to visit the repair shop and we haven't irritated any of the various campground inhabitants at the places we have stayed. More tomorrow.
Today we awoke to cloudless skies and a temperature of 48 degrees. Glad I took a shower last night. Gene and I didn't cover our bikes, which were soaking wet with dew when we got up this morning. Apparently Harley guys don't cover their bikes at all. It was interesting that we passed a town this morning that had a John Deere tractor dealership and a Harley dealership right next to each other. The BMW owners can only conclude that they must be located that way to make it easy to swap parts back and forth. After another hardy breakfast and a couple of wrong turns, we headed for the Aerostitch Factory. This place is located in the low rent district of Duluth and is so nondescript that we passed it twice before finally getting it right. It is a model of efficiency and of how to run a business on a tight budget. We picked up a couple of things and headed for somewhere in South Dakota. Minnesota is supposed to be the land of 10,000 lakes, but we saw more water in South Dakota. Right before we got into SD, we came upon a windmill operation that numbered 350. They stretched for as far as the eye could see, and they weren't small by any stretch of the imagination. Keeping to our plan to stay off the interstates, we met some challenging situations, the worst one being a road resurfacing operation (oil and chip no less) that stretched for miles. It was signed at 40 mph, we were doing 55 and a lunatic in a semi passed us. Being showered with loose gravel from a semi was no fun, and having stowed his helmet safely in the saddle bags, Uncle Eddie took the worst of it. Restraint not being his strong point, he gave the guy the finger after we repassed him on some better road. We were safely ahead and pulling away when Bear took a wrong turn and we ended up right behind the doofus again. Not good. We played cat and mouse with the guy for miles before we finally took another route. Uncle Eddie has still not cooled off. It being another 400 plus mile day, we decided on a Super 8 motel, and had a burger (Eddie had two) in some Irish Pub in Heron, SD. The plan is to ride to somewhere else in SD tomorrow far, far away from this place. These are some wide open spaces. Wondering what the bikes would do, Gene and I took them up to 101 mph and were still 2000 rpm below redline. Uncle Eddie stayed with us but said that he was about tapped out. The Harley guy has been coming down hard on the Beemer guys saying our bikes sound like coffee grinders, but so far we haven't had to visit the repair shop and we haven't irritated any of the various campground inhabitants at the places we have stayed. More tomorrow.
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