Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Buy early]

Day 1 - Well, got back from the Black Hills last night after a 628 mile day, 2,198 total mileage for our 7 day trip out to Bike Week. It was my third year in a row out to the rally and the best trip so far! 7 days of near perfect riding weather, an outstanding group of friends that included my best friend from high school who now lives in Rapid City, my best friend from college who now lives in Denver, his son, a great former AT&T friend from Seattle, and my best friend from the past 14 years of my life. Very cognizant of my impending 55th birthday, time with good friends becomes more valuable every day!

The adventure was to start Friday 8/6 at 9AM. The Beast was locked and loaded and my buddy Ray (think 'Motorcycle Song" and "Rain Man") arrived 10 minutes early. Clearly, he was just as pumped as I was to start "Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels".


It was late last night the other day
I thought I'd go up and see Ray
So l went up and I saw Ray
There was only one thing Ray could say, was:

I don't want a pickle
Just want to ride on my motorsickle
And I don't want a tickle
'Cause I'd rather ride on my motorsickle
And I don't want to die
I just want to ride on my motorcy...cle

Arlo Guthrie

[Buy early]

Got through the city traffic and out onto some country roads within 30 minutes. First stop was Crow River HD in Delano, MN. Didn't purchase a thing (probably a first) but got to look at some new 2011 HD's and the Ducati's next door. Got real tempted by a nice used Ducati 848 until I realized I probably couldn't hold the riding position for more than 30 miles.

Motored on down the road through Watertown, MN (our first Watertown of the day) and was deep into the tunes and the scenery when Ray flagged me down and said we had missed a critical stop at a nearby HD store. Not being in a rush, we backtracked 10 miles only to find out his real motive (see photo).



It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down
I had the radio on, I was ridin'
Trees flew by, me and Del were singin' little Runaway
I was flyin'

Yeah runnin' down a dream
That never would come to me
Workin' on a mystery, goin' wherever it leads
Runnin' down a dream

Tom Petty

[Buy early]

Believe it or not, Apol's HD is a great store located in little Raymond, MN. A few minutes there, some minor purchases and it was down the road again. About 150 miles later, we were in our second Watertown of the day, Watertown, SD. Harley store number 3, a satellite location of J&L HD out of Sioux Falls. Got rehydrated as the temps were now in the high 80's, took a few shots and it was down the road again.



Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

Steppenwolf

[Buy early]

Took a look down a westbound road
right away I made my choice
Headed out to my big two-wheeler
I was tired of my own voice
Took a bead on the northern plains
and just rolled that power on

Bob Seger



Blazed through Clark, SD, Doland, SD and Redfield, SD stopping only for gas and hydration. Put the HD hydration packs in my jacket in Redfield because temps were now in the high 90's. Got back motoring through the plains of South Dakota. About 1 mile out of Pierre, we headed north so I could show Ray the Oahe Dam and Lake Oahe. My grandfather helped build the dam in the early 1950's. My wife and I lived in Pierre in the early 1980's and would frequently go up to the lake to ski and sail. It is an amazing body of water stretching over 200 miles north into North Dakota. Got Ray to pose with his 2003 FLHRSEI2 Road King.

[Buy early]

The winds were picking up and the temps were in the high 90's but we were at our destination for the evening. Got a photo of The Beast with the powerhouse in the background. Used to spend a lot of time up on Lake Oahe. Learned to barefoot waterski and taught others to ski and barefoot as well. Great memories!



Nobody on the road,
nobody on the beach.
I feel it in the air,
the summers out of reach

Empty lake, empty streets,
the sun goes down alone.
I'm driving by your house
though i know that you not home...

Don Henley

[Buy early]

After enjoying an outstanding meal of cooked cow at the Cattleman's restaurant just east of Pierre with some old work buddies, we took a ride up to the Capitol and got a few shots of the scoots. At least one of these will make the "Photo of your scoot at a famous locale" thread.

Our great country has 50 of these, would be cool to get a photo in front of all 50.



Well I won't back down
No I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down
No I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin me down
gonna stand my ground
... and I won't back down

Tom Petty

[Buy early]

I know, the reflector police are going to write Ray up.



If there's one thing in my life that's missing
It's the time that I spend alone
Sailing on the cool and bright clear water
Lots of those friendly people
And they're showing me ways to go
And I never want to lose their inspiration
Time for a cool change
I know that it's time for a cool change
And now that my life is so prearranged
I know that it's time for a cool change

Little River Band

[Buy early]

Day 2 - A pleasant night at the Ft. Pierre Holiday Inn and we were ready to hit the road bright and early Saturday morning. Temps were in the low 80's at 8AM with high humidity so we were in for another warm ride. Headed west on Highway 14 and hit the sunflower fields just north of Midland. The view was so beautiful it almost took your breath away! The fields were huge and we happened to be passing to the east of a major planting so the heads were pointing perpendicular to the road. Had to stop twice because it was just too much to take in.


Call me the breeze
I keep blowin' down the road
Well now they call me the breeze
I keep blowin' down the road
I ain't got me nobody
I don't carry me no load

Lynyrd Skynyrd

[Buy early]

Next stop was the world famous Wall Drug. Ray had never been there so we took a while, had a $27 breakfast (he paid), met a waitress from Uganda, perused the trinkets, looked over the ever increasing number of bikes, and even met a few guys on Screamin' Eagle tourers from Alabama that were members of this fine forum.

Ray took the opportunity to get to know one of the fine long-time staff members at Wall Drug.



I've been up
I've been down
Take my word
My way around
I ain't askin' for much mmm
I said Lord take me down town
I'm just lookin' for some tush

ZZ Top

[Buy early]

Since Wall Drug is such a famous place, many manufacturers choose to reveal their new products there. Took the opportunity to try out the 2010 HD CVO Screamin' Jackalope. Quite a ride!

After determining we had spent enough time screwing around, it was back...


On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again

Willie Nelson

[Buy early]

57 miles later we pulled into Black Hills HD to begin official Bike Week events. The crowds and vendors at BHHD are always a great way to start the week.



That's why I'm telling you
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
Another day of living, yeah
I just want to celebrate another day of life

Had my head on the dollar bill
But the dollar bill flew away
But the sun is shining down on me
And it's here to stay

That's why I'm telling you
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
Another day of living, yeah
I just want to celebrate another day of livin'
I just want to celebrate another day of life

Rare Earth

[Buy early]

After a brief stop at BHHD, we headed on up to the Hill City Best Western, our HQ for the week. The second portion of our team was coming in from Denver. Here's a shot of Rodger, a former work buddy from Seattle who had flown to Denver, met up with Paul and his son Adam and rode one of Paul's collection of Honda's up to Hill City. Rodger rode the Honda Fury and can be seen here getting some road grime off the bike. Rodger was the most experienced rider of the group and even brought his favorite helmet from the '60's for this special occasion.


No I`m no angel
No I`m no stranger to the street
I`ve got my label
So I won`t crumble at your feet
And I know baby
So I`ve got scars upon my cheek
And I`m half crazy
Come on and love me baby

So you find me hard to handle
Well, I`m easier to hold
So you like my spurs that jingle
And I never leave you cold
So I might steal your diamonds
I`ll bring you back some gold
I`m no angel.

Gregg Allman

[Buy early]

Here's a shot of Paul explaining to his son Adam the rules of the road.



well it's a strange old game - you learn it slow
one step forward and it's back to go
you're standing on the throttle
you're standing on the breaks
in the groove 'til you make a mistake

sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all

Mark Knopfler

[Buy early]

After we got the bikes unloaded and spiffed up a bit, we took off up 385 to Nemo Road down into Rapid for some table-side guacamole at On The Border. Fantastic dinner. We were joined by my best high school buddy and his wife, Gary & Carol. They have lived in Rapid for over 36 years. It was Gary who picked me up from college in the spring of my Junior year, brought me out to Rapid and put me on his Kawasaki 175 dirt bike for a week of riding. The first extended motorcycle experience of my life. I rode every paved and unpaved road I could find. It was a revelational experience and led to the purchase of my first motorcycle (a Kawasaki 350 triple) the following fall. For the past two years, I have rented a bike to ride for 2 days so Gary can ride the Beast and lead us around the Hills. It has been an attempt to pay him back for that incredible gift 35 years ago.

Here is Carol and Ray sharing a laugh in the restaurant parking lot. Gary's street rod is in the background.


In the summertime when the weather is high
You can stretch right up and touch the sky
When the weather's fine
You got women, you got women on your mind
Have a drink, have a drive
Go out and see what you can find

If her daddy's rich take her out for a meal
If her daddy's poor just do what you feel
Speed along the lane
Do a ton or a ton an' twenty-five
When the sun goes down
You can make it, make it good in a lay-by

Mungo Jerry

[Buy early]

Cool shot of father & son at On The Border. Adam had spent several years in San Diego, joined the Marines, served in Iraq during the Bagdad invasion and in the middle of all of that, learned to ride motorcycles. His first ride was a Hyabusa. Unfortunately, he had never gotten a cycle license. One of the requirements of the trip was the acquisition of a motorcycle license and Adam acquired that at the Boulder DMV the afternoon before leaving for Sturgis. What a guy won't do for a trip to Sturgis!


Life's like a road that you travel on
When there's one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind
There's a world outside ev'ry darkened door
Where blues won't haunt you anymore
Where brave are free and lovers soar
Come ride with me to the distant shore
We won't hesitate
To break down the garden gate
There's not much time left today

Life is a highway
I wanna ride it all night long
If you're going my way
I wanna drive it all night long

Rascal Flatts