Prolog - Sunday 7/26/98

I believe I am packed and ready to start tomorrow. I've gone
over the checklist and have collected and packed everything. It's been trial-and
error to find the best place for everything and the best way to tie things
down. Hopefully I've guessed right on what I'll need more often and have those
things where they are easy to retrieve. I'm sure I'll find omissions and
hopefully record them for "next time".

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to pack
everything planned with the bike less loaded than expected. The only thing I
could not find was the spare tire repair kit - I hope that isn't an omen of
some kind. I am debating the merits of adding a small cooler. I have room for
it, but I don't know if it is a good idea or not.

I have decided to take the Walkman, which means carrying
several tape to avoid repetition and boredom. I don't
plan to listen all the time, but having the option will be good if I hit real
dull periods. I have my favorites that always lift my spirits - Meat Loaf,
Willie, Springsteen, the Eagles, Janis Joplin, and David Allen Coe. They will
all come along.

I've also checked the bike fluids and systems
and all looks good. The gas is full, odometer reading is 2761. I have a fairly aggressive goal set for tomorrow to get to Oklahoma
City, which is about 450 miles. This first leg will be mostly interstate and
probably very hot. I plan to get a reasonably early start.

Monday - 7/27/98

Comfort Inn - northeast Oklahoma City

Odometer 3230 (469 miles)

I woke up without the alarm at the normal 5:00 am and
decided to take a walk on one of my neighborhood routes. This ledd to a flash of inspiration - instead of the cooler,
take a gym bag with walking shoes, etc. It will pack easier and can also be
used as a catchall for other loose ends. The B&B at Hormosa
(near Sturgis) is on a gravel road, so I doubt I walk there. However, I might
walk when I stay in motels and I will definitely
change into gym shorts on hot days when I get off the bike.

Left around 7:00 am with the gym bag added. It took around
45 minutes to get to I-45 at Beltway 8 east, then fairly
smooth sailing. Four gas stops, two a little longer for rest and snacks.
My butt is tired. The major issue is heat. It was 99 in Dallas when I got
passed through (the high was 101) and 103 when I arrived at Oklahoma City. I
drank lots of water & used moist rags, but the heat drains me. The low
tomorrow morning in only supposed to be 85, so it will be another scorcher
unless I hit rain, which is reported as a 20% probability.

I listened to tape during one of the legs today. The Walkman
is not a distraction - it is really nice, but I have a
volume problem. It is not road noise, because the volume is very low in the
motel. It is not the battery because I changed it with no improvement. I don't
believe it is the tape, because I got the same results with the two I tried so far, and my memory says these tapes were fine
before. Either the Walkman is old, or my tapes suffered the same fate as my
wine during the trip from Delaware.

Some observations and learnings:

I saw a pane of glass fly out from somewhere and shatter on
I 45 in front of me. The image is still with me and sort of surreal - I saw the
pane when it was in the air. It was like slow motion, watching it hit the
pavement, then shatter with pieces going everywhere. I was not hit, but I
watched the tires carefully for a while - fortunately they are fine.

Adjusting airflow through the size of cuff openings and
zipper opening is critical to comfort. The rainsuit tops works fairly well, and
I'm sure that a tee shirt without covering would have lead
to dehydration. However, the rain suit is an oven when stopped.

My right hand got extremely tired because of the throttle. I
finally got the knack of adjusting the thumb screw, which allows me to still
move twist the throttle when needed, but offsets the spring and keeps the
throttle in a fixed position.  I can move
my right hand some, which helps a lot. This obviously only works on the highway
at cruising speeds. It is not as neat as cruise control, and it does slow down
your reaction time to shutdown the throttle when stopping. However
when used carefully, it really helps.

A truck carrying sand passed me on I-35. Even though it had
a tarp, I literally got sandblasted. My glasses, face shield, and windscreen
all have permanent pits because of that a-hole. I
slowed down right after I felt the sand, but it didn't help. I had to pull over
and let him get way ahead. The learning for next time i2 to avoid being passed,
or pull over immediately IF you see a truck carrying lose fill preparing to
pass.

I had a sandwich at Cracker Barrel & plan to turn in early.
In general, I'm pleased with the day. That is a new mileage record on two
wheels for me, and the packing & preparation are working well so far - yes it IS early. Tomorrow the goal is stop somewhere between
Hebron and Lincoln, Nebraska, which will be 330 to 380 miles. The route is two
thirds interstate with two exceptions. I have been to Kansas and Oklahoma
before, but this will be my first trip into Nebraska.

Tuesday - 7/28/98

Comfort Inn - southwest Omaha

Odometer 3695 (465 miles)

I awoke about 5:20. It was a strategic mistake to bring a
new CPAP mask without testing it. This one is made of a different material than
my normal one. The seal is not as good, and it woke me up a couple of times. I
believe I can fix it with some petroleum jelly. It was still a decent night's
sleep.

I took a short walk, had the free breakfast
and got underway around 7:30 and fueling. It was muggy, but comfortable.

I hit rain around 9:00 at the Kansas border. It was on the
forecast, and I could see it coming. I put on the gear in advance,
and did fairly well. This was not a super hard rain, but it was steady.
I slowed down, allowed additional time to stop or turn, and handled it OK. The
worst time is when a truck passes you the cuts back into your lane, which is
also a bad time in a car when it's raining. It didn't take too long to adjust.
The gear worked fine, except that I need a better plan for my hands. I changed
into the spare gloves, but the got wet eventually - I have heard of glove
protectors and will check them out. I did stay fairly dry,
and the plastic bags around the clothes keep them dry too.

The rain stooped around noon. It really cooled things off.
It was about 75 when it stopped, and the high today where I in Omaha was 90. I
do not feel anywhere near as tired as I did yesterday. The route took me off of the interstate for a while which was a good change of
pace. The topography all day was gentle rolling hills and fertile farmland. I
went through Hebron around 2:00 so I keep going. I took a good break before
hopping back on I-80 in Nebraska. I passed through Lincoln at 4:00, and still
felt fine, so I continued on to Omaha, pulling off the
road shortly before 5:00. I feel like I could have gone further
if necessary, but no need to push it.

I found a Janis Joplin tribute on the cable TV, which is
super. There is a truck stop next door, which will do for dinner. Based on two
days experience, I believe the plan to sleep outside a couple of days is
flawed. I'm stopping reasonably early, and enjoy getting to a telephone,
catching up on the news, etc. I'm not sure what I would do between late
afternoon and bedtime at a rest stop, unless I had dinner, then rode a while
longer. This still might be an option on the return route.

There have not been to many other bikes on the road. I saw a
couple yesterday, but none of then looked loaded for a road trip. I've seen
about five today that are probably Sturgis bound, including a motor home towing
a Heritage Springer. When I get into South Dakota tomorrow, I suspect that the
numbers will increase.

I am really ahead of schedule and
further along the route than expected. I had planned to get to Sioux Fall, SD,
tomorrow which is only about 200 miles. Having been warned about a "third
day wall" (which allegedly makes it very tough to ride the same distance
on day 3 that you did on the first two), I had planed
to stay in Sioux City two nights. I've mapped a 200 mile
run through Minnesota for Thursday, and planned also to do
laundry/miscellaneous chores, then leave early Friday to go to Sturgis &
Hermosa. However, if possible I'd like to get to Sioux
Falls before noon tomorrow, then do the Minnesota run in the afternoon. This
would allow me go get to the Sturgis area Thursday, one day earlier than planned , I could take a run into ND or maybe go to Devil's
Tower, WY, on Friday with less traffic than when the rally officially starts.
We'll see.

Wednesday - 7/29/98

Fairfield Inn - Sioux Falls, SD

Odometer 4190 (395 miles)

Awoke and took a short walk this morning. It was pleasant
and cool. I hit the road at 7:30 am and needed to pull out my leather jacket!
The first time I've felt chilly in some time. It remained overcast, and I was
very comfortable in the jacket with vents open and a short sleeve shirt. I went
through Nebraska, into Iowa around Sioux City, then into South Dakota.

I pulled into the motel in Sioux Falls at 11:30 - just about
the time the rain started again. I was able to stow all of
my gear in the room, then I put on the rain gear and checked out the local
area. I went to the local Harley dealer, nice shop. They did not have any
suggestions about roads in Minnesota for an afternoon ride.

In spite of light rain, I decided to
make the Minnesota run anyway. I noticed I had lost one of my rain gloves
between the motel and my lunch stop. I retraced my route, but none of the
places I had stopped had found it. So, off to Minnesota with one glove.

It was a neat ride, in spite of the
rain. The country side was beautiful, sort of like
Amish country but more spread out. There was no litter or trash anywhere. I saw
a bank of windmills that must have contained close to 100 of them. I tried to
take a couple of pictures, but I doubt they will be any good because of the
rain.

I ended up back on I-29 about 50 miles north of South Falls
and saw a Walmart. I have a replacement Walkman, but
have not tried it yet. It rained fairly hard for the
last leg back to the motel. I handled it OK and felt dry until the last five
miles, when both feet got soggy. I've since figured out that my rain suit pants
rode up on my jeans, Exposing the top if my rubber overshoes. The hard rain ran
down the legs of my rain suit into the boots! Gravity works. I can learn from that, I'll tape the legs of the rain suit over the boots to
stop that from happening again.

I've completed the laundry and am repacking. I think the
boots will be relatively dry by tomorrow, and everything else is dry now.
Unfortunately, it is still raining steadily and if forecast to continue
tomorrow morning. I did not want to get back into the rain, so I had a sandwich
from the motel machine for dinner. I've got a reservation in Spearfish SD
tomorrow night, which is about 20 miles west of Rapid City and 50 miles
northwest of Sturgis. So, I have around 400 miles to cover tomorrow. I want to
go through Sturgis, to see the layout, stop at H/D in Rapid City and schedule
an appointment my 5000 mile maintenance service, then
get into Spearfish for dinner.

The jury is still out on the third day syndrome. My mileage
was down, but not much. I did a different type of riding this afternoon, which
provided a nice change of pace, but I did all that I wanted to. I am still
learning, but have no major regrets so far, other than the lost glove.

The CPAP problem was not the mask - I believe the technician
that set the pressure screwed up. These last two nights were the first time
this CPAP was used with this type of mask. I'm pretty sure that the pressure on
this CPAP is much higher than the one at home. I've found the adjustment screw,
and cranked in down considerably over where it was. Unfortunately. This is a trial and error adjustment. If felt OK when I was adjusting it - I'll know for sure in the morning.

Morning update

The CPAP worked fine. I slept well and awoke about 4:30. The
rain has stopped, for now. I sent some e-mail, then took a walk. It is
overcast, about 60 and pleasant. Packing the bike without rain will be easier -
the gear feels fairly dry. The new Walkman has
eliminated the volume problem. Looks like the start of another good day. I'll
be on the road around 7:30 again.

Thursday - 7/30/98

Fairfield Inn - Spearfish, SD

Odometer 4535 (440 miles)

A very good day - no rain at all. I gained an hour because
of the change to Mountain Daylight Time. The first half of I-90 was more
rolling plains and farm land. It seemed to get colder
as the morning progressed. By the second gas stop, I had on full leathers and
was very comfortable.

The Walkman was pleasant for one leg. There were as many
bikes on the road (or being towed) as cars.

I stopped for a buffalo burger lunch at Wall Drug. There
were numerous billboards along the way, and this complex (which grew from the
drugstore on the original site) has something for everyone. It reminded me of
South of the Border in SC.

From Wall westward, the land became more rugged. I stopped
at Badland's H/D in Rapid City. The also have a branch in Sturgis, but all
maintenance is being done in Rapid City during the rally period. Unfortunately,
they are not taking appointments because of the crowds. It will be "first
come - first served", and no doubt a zoo. I'll have to go Saturday, which
probably means spending most of the day in Rapid City. I did find a super buy
on some long gauntlet gloves ($19) to replace the one I lost yesterday.

Another learning today - gas mileage goes way down at 75 to
80 mph (about 35 mpg), compared to 65 to 70 mph (40 mpg).

I pulled into Sturgis about 2:00 to get the lay of the land.
Much activity going on for setup and all. I then continued on
to Spearfish and checked into the hotel, unloaded and checked in at home and
voice mail.

The sun finally came out, so I then went back into Sturgis.
I waited in a short line for a car wash to get the grime off
of the bike. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than before. I
walked the streets a little. The main drag is not yet closed to cars, but there
were several hundred bikes in around town. I ate an Indian taco and diet coke
for dinner.

The event officially starts on Sunday, but it will be going
full blast by Saturday, and probably 75% tomorrow. Besides the main drag, there
are vendors setting up at numerous other remote relocations. It's going to be
fun checking all of the stuff out.

Tomorrow, I'll take what will probably be the last long run
before I head back. I've charted a course north for about 100 miles, then west
into Montana, south into Wyoming with a visit to Devils Tower then back through
Spearfish and south to Hermosa. I had originally charted a longer northern run
to get into North Dakota, but that would have required a 530
mile leg, and gotten me into Hermosa later than I want. It's nearly 50
miles from Hermosa to Sturgis, so each day will include some riding. There are
numerous routes through the Badlands National Park between the two, so I doubt
I will get bored. Hermosa in also very convenient to Mount Rushmore, Custer
State Park, and the carving of Crazy Horse that is still in progress. It will
be a busy week.

It will be good to unload the bike and leave it unloaded for
a while in Hermosa. It only takes me about 15 minutes to secure everything, but
it is two trips unloading, three trips loading. The bike is also easier to get
on and off with the bike unloaded. This is particularly true wearing chaps. As
I learned the hard way.  I marred the
paint on the gas tank with my boot this afternoon. Hopefully, I can rub it out.

Morning update

I slept late (until 6:30) so I took a short walk. This is
the prettiest day yet, sunny and pleasantly cool. I
talked with some guys from Dyersburg, TN in the parking lot, they make 8 cylinder motorcycles, with 12 gallon gas tanks. Four were
ridden up from Dyersburg, accompanied by another four in a truck which they
will try to sell. I took one picture, but the camera started acting up.

I noticed a lot of bike covers in the parking lots. This
goes onto my "good ideas for the next long trip" list, second only to
DQ. It would have been particularly nice to have Wednesday night during the
rain. I should be on the road by 8:00.

Friday - 7/31/98

Patterson's B&B - Hermosa, SD

Odometer 4960 (425 miles)

I arrived in Hermosa about 7:30 pm to find mail from DQ, as
promised. It was sweet and considerate.

Today was most interesting. I did not set a mileage record,
but I spent more time on the road than any previous day. I also learned more
about crosswinds and gravel, but more on that later.

I headed north as planned and it soon became overcast and
cooler. I put on some gear and kept trucking. There were numerous hawks
hunting, and I also saw what looked like a falcon and several deer (but no
camera). I had planned to turn west at Buffalo, SD which was about 100 miles
north of Spearfisn. I arrived in Buffalo and stopped
for gas & coffee.

I found out it was only 30 miles to the North Dakota border.
I had been thinking about driving four hours in the rain in Minnesota, so it
seemed silly not to get to ND because of self imposed time constraint. So, off
I went. I stopped in North Dakota and tried to take a picture of their neat
welcome sign, but the camera still would not work.

I turned around and headed back to Buffalo, and that's when
I really felt the cross wind. I learned to lean into it, which was fine.
However, the wind blast from oncoming trucks was much stronger, and I  had to really
concentrate to hold my line. The return trip to Buffalo took five minutes
longer than the trip up, which is significant for a 30 mile
leg.

I then turned west toward Montana. I crossed into Montana
after about 20 miles and the road turned to dirt and gravel! I slowed down and
learned to cope. It's a matter of planning ample time to turn and stop (like
rain), but you also need to watch ruts and not tense up on bumps and gentle
slides. I had 30 miles until I turned back south on a state road, so I figured
it would be good experience. I was averaging between 35-40 MPH on the straight
sections.

When I got to the state road it was paved, but only for
about a mile, then back to gravel. It stayed that way for about 60 more miles
until I crossed into Wyoming. The sun did come back out
and it became shirt sleeve weather.

The Wyoming run to Devils Tower was spectacular - virtually
no traffic, rolling  hills,
and long sweeping curves. Devils Tower was neat, and they had a photo shop that
fixed my camera. I had a late lunch at around 2:30. I had planned to go back
through Sturgis and Rapid City, but I decided to continue through Wyoming into
Custer State Park then directly to Hermosa. The roads were fine
and it was an enjoyable ride. I had a very light dinner then rode on into
Hermosa. The town of Custer looked particularly neat with several restaurants.
I'll return there.

Nadine Patterson and her Mom and very nice and good hosts.
I've lucked into the room with a bath across the hall with out sharing because
of some cancellations. I have unloaded all of my gear, and
used their hose to wash the dust off after the gravel roads. There is no A/C in
the bedroom, but the windows open and have screens, so I should be fine. The
telephone will be a problem, so I'll probably use a phone card to check in. I'm
writing this as I sit in the living room, which is air conditioned.

Tomorrow I must to go Rapid City
and get the service done on the bike. There are great roads to ride in the
Black Hills park and at least eight different  routes between Hermosa and Sturgis, so
I think I'll ride 100-150 miles a day, and spend the remainder  of the time in Sturgis and Rapid City or
visiting parks and museums. This will be fun, but tomorrow will probably be a
pain. I plan to treat myself to a nice dinner - I've been very frugal so far.

It's been a good but long day. I think I will turn in before
long. I've told them I'd probably skip breakfast, because I want to get to
Rapid City fairly early.

Saturday - 8/1/98

Patterson's B&B - Hermosa, SD

Odometer 5095 (135 miles)

I woke up about 6:00 and left before waking anyone for
breakfast. I had a quick cup of coffee and a muffin at Texaco, then ran up to
Rapid City. I got there at 7:20 and was seventh in line, even though they did
not open until 9:00. I am a little concerned that three people were back to
correct problems from service the previous day. The shop may be too hurried at
this very busy time. I was finished around 1:00 pm. The wait wasn't too bad
because there were vendors around. I got my sewing done for my vest, and made a few purchases. I also went to a buffet breakfast  a block
away (and splurged), so I  decided to
delay my dinner another night.

I rode into Sturgis, and it was going full blast, even
though it hasn't officially started. I only covered about 20%,
and bought souvenirs and goodies. About the only difference than I have
seen in pictures is that Main Street is still open to cars, which means bikes
can only park in two lanes on each side of the road. Tomorrow, they close the
road for the week, and allow two more rows of bike parking in the middle of the
street. The people and bikes are pretty amazing, with
a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors for both.

I decided to go to Mount Rushmore before evening. I stopped
briefly for a Subway sandwich in Rapid City then headed out again. I got part
way there when I hit thunderstorms, so I headed back toward Hermosa via Rapid City.
When stopped at a red light, I saw a cop make a U turn in the intersection and
started chasing some yo-yo who was driving too fast and too loud. He caught the
guy, and pulled about 10 other bikes over, including me. After checking the
tags for previous reports, he informed the turkey that his sloppy riding caused
all of us to be stopped, then he let us all go except him. Weird.

The rain had slacked, so I decided not to put on full gear
for the remaining 25 miles. In retrospect - DUMB. It started pouring, and I did
not have my helmet, so visibility got really poor. I
limped into the Texaco, which was mobbed with bikes. Texaco does not charge for
coffee, so I had two cups to warm up. I got back to the B&B around 8:30. We
watched country music shows on TV and I did some laundry.

Tomorrow's game plan is to hit Mount Rushmore in the
morning. I'll go check out some more of Sturgis, then head back through Custer
for a dinner stop. There will be a large H/D exhibit in Rapid City beginning on
Tuesday, so I want to focus on Sturgis vendors and displays for the next two
days. I am still undecided whether I will head home on Wednesday or Thursday
morning.

Sunday - 8/2/98

Patterson's B&B - Hermosa, SD

Odometer 5285 (190 miles)

I got up at 6:15 after sleeping well. Nadine fixed an
excellent breakfast of juice, coffee, cereal,, French
toast, and sausage. I ate more than I should have. I went to Mt. Rushmore and
enjoyed it very much. It included a fairly strenuous
walk of about ¾ miles, and I enjoyed learning about how they built it. I then
went to the Borgland museum, and
was amazed and what all he had done before he started the Rushmore project. I
headed toward the Crazy Horse project. but saw hard rain in that area and
turned around.

I took the long route to Sturgis, which was another super
ride. I walked through the outlying areas, as opposed to main drag, although I
did walk to one end of main street. I found an area where hey have a non-Harley
focus. Demo rides start tomorrow for Victory, Kawasaki, Yamaha, BMW, Triumph,
and Honda. Excelsior Henderson is also making a big publicity display, although
they don't start production until next year. I also found Big Dog and the guys
from Houston. The only purchase I made  was a pair of glove covers. I am
interested in electrically heated vests and hand grips, but
have only seen one vendor that makes stuff to order.

I headed south about 5:00 and did go to Crazy Horse. This is
a work in progress, and only about a third done. I enjoyed it and learned a
lot. But it was also somewhat sad, because it is
unlikely it will be finished. There is no government funding, and I doubt the
private sector will ever come up with the funds to complete it.

I continued south into Custer for dinner, which was nice.
Afterwards I made a night run through the state parks back to the B&B,
arriving around 10:00. It was chilly, but I was comfortable in the rain suit
jacket with a long sleeve shirt.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is cooler with scattered
showers. I have two specific roads I want to ride, then I'll probably go back
to main street Sturgis. Tuesday I plan to focus on the
H/D exhibit and rides in Rapid City, and maybe try to take a demo ride on a
Honda Valkarie and a Kawasaki Vulcan. Time for bed now.

Monday - 8/3/98

Patterson's B&B - Hermosa, SD

Odometer 5455 (170 miles)

The best part of the day was breakfast, it declined steadily
afterwards. It was raining, but forecast to clear by
noon. I found an oil leak when I went to start the bike - nothing serious, but
it obviously needed to be fixed.

I had planned to take one of the scenic park roads to
Sturgis. I chose a road that would get me closer to Rapid City instead,
planning to mail some souvenirs home, go to H/D for service, then on to Sturgis
then Beulah, WY . It's called the Needles road, and is rated one of the more spectacular rides.

I put on rain gear, and managed to
tear one of my overshoes. I taped things up and drove on. I barely got started
on the mountain road, and was 20 miles from Hermosa
when it started raining hard. I rode on, carefully, and pulled over to take
photos at various spots. I reached a very neat spot called "Eye of the
Needle" about 15 miles later to find that I has taken my last photo
earlier. I also found that the box carrying my souvenirs had come apart in the
rain. A quick inventory showed that I had lost a leather bag with Buffalo vest
chains and a souvenir collection of Bible reading that I had picked up. I very
carefully retraced my route (in the rain), but found nothing.
I stopped at the two ranger stations, but no one had turned in a package. I did
fill out a report, but I am not too hopeful. In hindsight, I obviously should
have wrapped the stuff to mail in plastic and secured it better, especially
since there was a high probability for rain.

I got film, then went to the mail box,
then the H/D dealer, arriving around 1:00. The skies cleared for a while, and
the bike was fixed fairly quickly at no cost. I then
drove on to Sturgis, and stayed dry. It took forever to
find a place to park, and it started raining shortly after I locked the bike.
It rained the remainder of the afternoon, often hard. The Bible collections
were all gone, and the place where I bought the bag was also sold out of that particular one. I was able to find a similar bag at another
store. The rain made moving around more difficult. I finally left Sturgis
around 7:15, and the rain continued until I got to Rapid City. I got a fast food burger, then got back here around 8:45.

So, to wrap up, I didn't complete the ride I wanted, I lost
and could not replace some souvenirs, the demo rides were cancelled. All in
all, a wasted day. However, I survived more rain and some pretty challenging roads and I am thankful for that.

I'll stay to Thursday as originally planned now, because I feel like I have unfinished business.
Tomorrow, I hope to take one on the two park roads and get pictures, visit the
H/D exhibit at Rapid City, maybe catch a demo ride in Sturgis, and check out
Beulah WY. I haven't seen a weather forecast, but the previous ones have not
been very reliable anyway.

Morning update

Still raining. I slept like a log and enjoyed another good breakfast.
I am trying to sort out what I want to do before leaving and prioritize based
on weather.

I want to see the H/D Expo, which opens at 10:00 today. That
is inside, so no problem. I have two park roads to ride, and I would rather do
that with semi-dry roads anyway to enjoy the ride and take pictures. I want to
go to Buelah and Hulett,
WY. The are activities there on Wednesday, and the annual burnout at Sundance.
Wednesday might work better for that. I want to see Mount Rushmore at night, and would obviously prefer to do night riding when it
is dry. I'd like to make one more visit to downtown Sturgis and pick up one
more long sleeve tee shirt, which can be done anytime. But I'd also like to
take a demo ride or two, which is best done when dry. Finally, I need to do
laundry one more time before heading home.

So, I'll start out at H/D Expo this morning,
and see how the day develops. Maybe it will dry out later.

Tuesday - 8/4/98

Patterson's B&B - Hermosa, SD

Odometer 5666 (211 miles)

A much, much better day! I went directly to Rapid City, in a
mild drizzle. The Expo did not open until 10:00, but there were vendors around
to kill the time. The Expo was worth waiting for, they had all
of the new bikes, good displays of the new engine, color charts with a
neat new burnt orange, and an ugly purple and another ugly root beer colors.
They had a hospitality room for HOG members, so I had a lunch of veggies and
nachos. I got a good buy on a long sleeve tee shirt, and found a table set up
by the Christian group. They gave me a couple ideas of where to find a
replacement Bible in Sturgis. I also registered for a poker run which can be
completed anytime before Friday at 6:00 pm.

When I came out, it was clearing up, I went to the Black
Hills park and made my park road runs, I got to the "Eye of the
Needle" and took pictures and also rode Iron
Mountain road. The scenery was spectacular, and the roads were more fun to ride
when dry. I saw a herd of buffalo in the road, which was sort of scary. I also
saw wild burros, which were cute  - they were eating out of peoples
hands. The temperature was in the mid 60's - most riders were wearing leathers.

I had a bowl of soup in Keystone, then rode on to Sturgis. I
did find the Bible as suggested. I was too late for the demo rides, but I did
get to sit and get the feel of both a Honda Valkarie
and Kawasaki Vulcan, I was very surprised by both, I felt cramped. This was
especially true on the Valrkarie, because the engine is so wide that there is no room for
forward controls. The Vulcan was not as bad, but it did not knock my sox off,
either. I was favorably impressed with the  production prototypes on the Excelsior
Henderson, they were very neat looking and felt very comfortable. They weren't
available for demo rides, but they expect to start production late this year
and begin sales in 1999.

It sprinkled again, but only for an hour or so, then it
stopped. I bummed around Sturgis some more, and
enjoyed some jambalaya at the food fair. I rode back to Hermosa arriving at
9:30 pm.

I am now doing laundry, which should last until I get home
this weekend.

Tomorrow, I plan to make the poker run, continue into WY for
the three stops mentioned previously, then head back to Keystone for dinner.
This will allow me to take a night picture on Mt. Rushmore. This is the evening
of the Dark of the Moon run, so the lights will be on longer than normal. The
weather forecast is for clear skies and warming temperatures.

Wednesday - 8/5/98

Patterson's B&B - Hermosa, SD

Odometer 6005 (334 miles)

A pretty good day to end the Sturgis rally (for this year).
I was on the road shortly after 8:00 after some super sourdough pancakes. I
rode through Keystone and took the long road to Sturgis, picking up the second
and third checkpoints for the poker run. I was able to park on Main Street and
took one last walk through crowd.

I pulled out about 11:30 to hit the three Wyoming events.
Unfortunately, many other people had the same idea. I was riding in crowds for much
of the afternoon, sometimes slowing to a crawl. There was a mob at Buelah, which included some state troopers, so I did not
see any drag racing.

A road had been closed that was the shortest route to Hulett, so the mob had to go the longer route through
Sundance. They had closed the street for the burnouts, but traffic was very heavy so I continued on. It took nearly 90 minutes to cover
the 40 miles to Hulett for the Ham & Jam. The
crowd was larger than expected, and they had temporarily run out of BBQ, They
were jamming, but not hamming. I bought a sandwich at a convenience store, then
headed back toward Rapid City about 3:30.

I picked up my fourth checkpoint for the poker run, but the
Expo closed at 6:00. I didn't get there until 6:30 so I could not pick up the
final checkpoint and turn in my card. They won't reopen until 10:00 am, so I
won't officially complete the run - a minor irritant.

I continued south to Keystone and roamed around until dusk.
I then rode the short distance to Mount Rushmore and waited for the lights to
come on. For some reason, they didn't start lighting until 9:30. It was a cool,
pleasant evening and I didn't really mind waiting too much. It gave me a good
opportunity to reflect on the time here. There was a nearly full moon, so it
really was a peaceful evening on the mountain. Unfortunately, I think the
memory will be better than the pictures, because I had to take them from about
a mile away to get a clear shot through the trees.

I rode the 15 miles back to Hermosa, and
was literally the only person on that road. Again, very peaceful
and pleasant in the moonlight.

I saw the results of a motorcycle down this afternoon, I
don't know what happened, as the bike was travelling on a road with other
motorcycle traffic.  However, I suspect a
wide turn leading to loose gravel on the shoulder. The
bike was in a ditch. The passenger was wearing full gear and seemed OK. The
rider was probably also OK, but he ad some very rough looking hide on his arm, shoulder and forehead. Hopefully, they will both be fine and the bike will be operable to get them home.

I'm ready to begin the return trip. Tomorrow's goal is
Colorado Springs, CO, which is about 440 miles. The scenery should be nice. I
haven't seen a weather forecast, but Hopefully it will be another dry day. It's
around 11:00 pm now. I'm going to partially pack my gear and get some sleep.

Thursday - 8/6/98

Fairfield Inn - Colorado Springs, CO

Odometer 6446 (441 miles)

I left about 7:30 am after another fine breakfast. The
ladies offered DQ and I first choice on the larger bedroom with a private
attached bath if we decide to return next year. They were very nice and
helpful.

The weather was outstanding, sunning
and mid 60's. The first four hours were states routes with sparse traffic through
SD and into WY. The scenery was fine with rolling hills and long slow curves.

I picked up I-25 around 11:30 then crossed into CO around
1:00 PM. The wind was much stronger on the interstate. I could see the Rocky
Mountains to the west, but it was too smoggy for pictures.

There were plenty of bikes on the road, about equally
divided between going to and returning from the Sturgis area.

Traffic in and around Denver was pretty
bad. It go to the mid 80's by afternoon and
burned off some of the smog (or maybe I just got closer so that the mountains
looked clearer). I took a break, shed the leather coat
and took a few pictures. I got to Colorado Springs around 5:00 pm. I felt look
I could go longer, but with the uncertainty of motel availability in either Trinidad
or Pueblo, I decided to stop as planned.

I took a nice walk, becoming quickly aware that I am at 6000
ft elevation, than relaxed before dinner at Friday's, which
was within walking distance. This allowed me the opportunity for a cold beer
and a glass of wine while obeying my ground rules. It was quite enjoyable.

I will
lose an hour tomorrow with the change back to CDT. I plan to get
up early and try to enjoy as much cool weather as possible before the
afternoon. I will leave Colorado, pass through New Mexico, and be in Texas by
mid-afternoon. I'd like to make it to Lubbick, if weather and road conditions permit.

Even though I mailed some stiff back, the bags are heavier and it takes longer to load and unload. It is also
going to take a major detail job to bet the bike looking good again. Comes with
the territory I guess. I'll turn in fairly
early, I feel tired after the meal and drinks.

Friday - 8/7/98

Budget Inn - Post, TX

Odometer 6990 (544 miles)

The weather was cooperative so I
extended my iron butt personal record today. I left at first light, around 6:15
am, in full leather at 55 degrees. I watched the sunrise light the Rockies as I
continued south on I 25 and crossed over into New Mexico. I then turned east on
two lane roads. The scenery during this segment was super.

I crossed over into the Texas panhandle about 10:00 so it
became 11:00 with the time change. If the Oklahoma panhandle is like Texas, I
don't know why they wasted time and money surveying the land. It was dull and
uninspiring. It was also close to 90, so I stowed the leather when I stopped
for lunch in Dumas. When I turned south toward Amarillo, both the landscape and
the road showed a little more character.

I reached Lubbick around 4:15 pm
and felt pretty good, so I continued on another 40
miles to Post. I was feeling the heat, so I decided to call it a day. It seems
to be dry here, I could not find a beer anywhere. I settled for more cold water
and some cottage cheese. Oh well, I should make it home tomorrow.

The route for tomorrow takes me through a scenic road near
the Colorado River reservoir into San Angelo. I'll continue through the hill
country to Kerrville, where I pick up I-10 into Houston. I know the road from
there, so it will be a little boring and probably hot for the last 225 miles.
Hopefully, I can avoid the rain for one more day.

Saturday - 8/8/98

At home in Houston

Odometer 7494 (504 miles)

Another good weather day. I got up around 5:00 am and found
a truck stop restaurant open for breakfast. I was on the road by 6:15 am and
watched the moon set and the sun rise during the first leg. It was pleasantly
cool, but I did not need the leather.

I changed the route in the late morning. Rather than go home
via San Antonio, which would have required about 225 miles on I-10, I decided
to go through Austin. This allowed me to stay on less traveled road until the
last 60 miles. The distance was about the same, but I thought the Austin route
might be a little cooler. By early afternoon, the temperature was in the mid
90's. I drank plenty of water.

I pushed pretty hard today and took
shorter breaks, being anxious to get home. I arrived about 4:15 pm. All in all,
a pretty uneventful day.

Epilog - Sunday 8/9/98

I have unloaded the gear and at least partially cleaned up
the bike. It will take some additional detailing to get all
of the road grime cleaned up.

I have thought about the aura and attraction of Sturgis. The
local folks really go out of their way to welcome bikers (and their money).
There are welcome signs everywhere and numerous parking areas limited to
motorcycles only. Rally week
offers the possibility to meet and renew scattered friendships by
camping out and enjoying all of the events and atmosphere. This is similar to what my old crew used to do at the Chestertown
Tea Party. It provides an opportunity to see vendors and the latest equipment
including motorcycles, trailers, motor homes, and all types of related
equipment and clothing. This stuff can generally be bought at fairly competitive prices. There is ample opportunity to see
people, and if you're inclined, to be seen by people. Partying and boozing are
readily available, as are drugs to a lesser degree. All of
these things can be dome in an area with wonderful scenery and great rides,
which is what I enjoyed the most.

This trip was all that I had hoped, and more. I am generally
pleased with my planning and preparation. I'll do even better next time. The
changes I made to the bike since buying it (a larger, more comfortable seat,
highway bars to allow me to put my feet in multiple positions, a taller
windshield, and longer mirrors) all made it more comfortable for my size and
riding positions. This was very important in tailoring the bike to fit me so
that I could ride for longer periods without tiring.

I'm also pleased with the way I rode. There were a couple of
errors in judgement, but they were minor. I've learned a lot, and I believe my
riding skills have definitely improved from what I
learned during this trip. I kept the shiny side up for nearly 5000 miles in all
types of weather traffic, and road conditions.

It was a hell of a ride.