Monday, August 3, 2009

Back from the Trip

Had a great time riding with Mike and Don down to the Black Hills last week. We went the week before Sturgis, in order to miss the huge crowds and Harley Tomfoolery that usually accompanies that time of year. Despite this, traffic at times was a bit of a pain, but at other times and locations we had the (great) roads to ourselves. As well, we had no interaction with the local constabulary. Mike's idea was that it was so that the police could take the week off before Sturgis, and then EVERYONE would be on duty the following 2 weeks. Makes sense.


One of these bikes is not like the others'... we stopped the first night in Bowman, North Dakota. We had excellent results hotel-wise -- $55 divided by 3 is a pretty good deal. The restaurant next door opened at 5 am as well... on a Sunday!



One of the neat places to stop was "Cheyenne Crossing", at the end of the Spearfish Canyon run. Our first day we got to the canyon at around 11 am, so it was crowded. We went the next route the following day with less traffic, and it was a real blast. At the end, when you decide to go west to Wyoming or East to Sturgis, is a little Cafe and gift shop. It wasn't uncommon to see 20-40 bikes parked out front depending on the time of day.

Our second day we ventured into Sturgis. It seemed "busy" to me, but a lot of parts vendors weren't open yet -- so I can only imagine how many more people congregate here during bike week. We walked around and bought some souvenirs and gifts, and then had lunch at the famous Knuckle Saloon. Good food, and there is a radio station in the restaurant giving attendees information about events, and regular reminders to take it easy. Played some good music as well. On the way in, 2 vintage dirt track bikes greeted you -- a BSA and a Yamaha...
We also stopped by Mount Rushmore -- me, camera-less, will have to wait for pics from Mike and Don. We did stop on 2 occassions at Grizzly's Bar and Grill. Good food, and a great outdoor vantage point to watch the bikes go by. It's in Keystone, SD -- just 5 mins from the monument. After wearing leathers all Day, the bear is pointing to me, and saying how bad I smell. At the start of the trip, that shirt was actually white...

Our tip home was pretty epic -- we went from Belle Fourche, SD to Brandon in one day -- about 1100 km, I think. A long day in the saddle, with primarily less than inspiring roads. We were able to use the posted speed limits as just a suggestion, and our liberal interpretation and mathematical error in coverting the speed to km/h meant we made great time. We had thought of stopping in Minot, but the town was still reeling from the euphoria of the Taylor Swift concert during the state fair, so we pressed on. Along the way, there were some chances to see some great scenery.

Once home, I began the slow process of cleaning the bike. Any trip like this really does a number on a clean vehicle of any sort. Once again I am reminded how silly it is to have wheels any color than black on a long-distance bike. I'll be breaking out the WD-40 and the rags to get the brake dust off of these. The back wheel was even worse, as after day 2, I lubed the rear chain in the dark -- both the chain and the rim were liberally coated...



I also brought home some wildlife on the front of the bike, and in the intake screens. Part of the tidy-up process is not only cleaning, but making sure the air filters aren't clogged with this crap as well. Overall, I was really happy with how the Duc ran. It doesn't start as well as it should, but that I think can be adjusted out at a competent dealer. It's not yet time for a valve check and adjustment, but I think I'll do it over the winter months. It did get a bit warm trolling through traffic (104 C), but quickly cooled down when we got underway. Often, bombing along the highway, it was reading 68 degrees -- nice and cool. Just about everyone thought I was riding a bag of nails, as the dry clutch is so loud with the vented cover... time for some exhaust tweaking. As well, some heli bars are in order, as after about 3 hours, it became a bit of a tourture rack. That being said, it's fate, because I know there was no way I would have been able to ride the other Ducati down there, with the postage stamp seat, lack of instrumentation, and no windscreen. Everything happens for a reason...

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