Sturgis - Day 7: Buffalo

It was another great day in South Dakota!  I headed out for the Keystone area mid-morning with a plan to test the helmet mounted video camera.  The plan was to ride to Custer State Park and then Iron Mtn Road.

Ride out was great.  Was hoping to see some buffalo in the park.  When I rode in, I saw a huge herd way off in the distance.  Rode in a few more miles, took a short break to hook up the camera, then turned around and went back the same way.  I'm riding along when suddenly this is what I see next to the road


As you can see, I'm now pulled off the road.  I was headed right along side these big guys and decided that was a wee bit too close



this cowboy was sitting and watching - this is where I pulled off the road. I asked him if it was ok if I just sat there until those buffalo moved and he said sure

 So I sat on my bike and watched the herd head toward where I was parked. 

there were lots of mamas and babies



this guy is one of the reasons I pulled over

I headed on down the road and came upon another herd.  These guys/gals were all heading toward the road

headed toward the road



these guys were starting to run toward the pull-off area where a half dozen bikes were parked

Two guys - I assume park rangers - walked to the middle of the road, each with a long whip

I actually have this on video.  The crack of the whip scared the buffalo and they changed their minds about crossing the road right at this spot



 So they moved down a little ways and then crossed - lots of them running across the road


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you can see some of these big guys are running across the road, some a little slower

 all they wanted to do is get to a new grazing area

last "what to do/see in Sturgis" checked off my list!!

Sturgis- Day 6. This vacation is not for wimps!

Long day today! Left the hotel at 8am and got back at 9:30pm.

In the morning, I rode 30 miles to meet Lynn and Rooney.  (remember, I vacated the campground)

Lynn (left) and Rooney.  Guys I've known for 20+ years from the Champaign Ski Club. 

From there we headed NW to Devil's Tower.  First national monument.  Interesting history specific to native Americans. 


that rock formation that appears to be growing out of my head is the Devil's Tower!  (notice I'm in leather chaps and my heavy jacket.  It was chilly this morning!)



From Devils' Tower, we headed to Hulett, WY (yep, second time to Wyoming this week). 

Side note:  the guys I've been riding with have been doing their best to convince me I would enjoy "side shows" that sometimes occur at various venues (drive-by's on the main drag at Sturgis, in a bar like Full Throttle etc).  Mostly I think this involves female nudity.  Why they think I would enjoy this, I do not know.  I will share that I did see a lot of shirtless men, most of whom,  frankly, should have remained "shirted".  Two examples:



this was my next-door neighbor at the campground.  This is the view I had almost anytime I was at the campground.  Does he not have a mother?  a sister?  Those of you who know me will be surprised to learn I did not intervene!  I should have as his own mother apparently has not.



This "vision" was in the restaurant where we ate lunch (Wall, SD)

So back to Hulett - apparently in years past, they celebrated "no panties Wednesday" but here, like Sturgis, nudity is not allowed anymore.  Nevertheless, bikers show up en mass.  We got there early, snagged an easy parking spot and ate lunch.  We sat with "locals" who shared some history about the event.  The guy on the left (photo below) said when this first started, his grandma and the "other old widder ladies" were opposed to the event, thinking bikers would be a rough group (they were basing this on their experience with the guys who come in for the rodeo...apparently they are pretty wild and love to fight).  After the first year, they sat in lawn chairs in the front yard to visit with all the bikers who parked on their street.  They loved it!

"locals" from Hulett, WY.  A fun group to chat with.  Lots of history about the area, great stories.

After lunch we walked around the town (small town, so maybe 2 blocks) and looked at vendors' wares.  I tried on a helmet I'd seen many bikers wearing.  Discovered it is very heavy...I have no idea how they wear this going 70mph. 

From there we rode to Montana.  Truthfully, I did this just so I could say I'd ridden in Montana.  Sounds like a big trip but if you check a map, you'll see Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana butt up against each other.



hard to tell, but that is the Montana state sign

 Lynn and Rooney were going on to see where Custer's big battle took place - another 150+ miles into Montana.  I decided not to go along as they were staying all night up there (and you know after the campground, I just wasn't sure I could trust their judgement :).  We stopped at a little hole-in-the-wall  bar to get a drink (best iced tea I think I've ever had - seriously).

I headed back to SD with the intent to ride the Spearfish Canyon again and dine at the Alpine Inn in Hill City (which Terry and Pam recommended).  So off I went on my own.  Turned out to be pretty easy.  I rode back through Belle Fourche, then Spearfish, then the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Bypass.  This was the second time this week but this time, since I was on my own, I could stop anywhere I wanted to take some pictures.  And stop I did!!  A few exhibits:



Terry, this one is for you...looked to be some type of military equipment out in the middle of nowhere (and honestly I don't remember if this was Wyoming or Montana).  There was another similar set-up in Wyoming past Devil's Tower that had a huge rotating satellite dish.  Something to do with the base?




Spearfish Canyon Bypass - Bridal Veil falls



fly fisherman....looked peaceful and relaxing

Side note:  whenever you make one of these scenic stops, its a very sociable time.  Conversation usually starts with someone reading my license plate (GDYUP) and asking me if I own a horse (and actually I rode ponies from age 4, had horses and did a fair amount of barrel racing and, compliments of a good friend whose dad bought expensive quarter horses and needed a second person to help show one of them in western pleasure events, I rode some quality horses - but that is not the reason for the license plate).  Today I ran into people from Joliet and Lasalle Peru, Oshkosh WI and IN - all Big Ten fans.

On to Hill City and the Alpine Inn where I waited an hour +, as Terry had warned me, to get a seat.  Waitress informs me there is no menu - you get a wedge of lettuce with ranch dressing, a filet (either 6 oz or 9oz), a baked potato and Texas toast.  $8.99 or $10.99.  Great service and an outstanding meal.  Some bikers told me they go there 2 or 3 times the week they're here. 

It was a really chilly ride back to the hotel - 25 miles.   Can't remember when I've felt so physically tired.  13 hour day, 220+ miles.  So thankful I came back to a hotel with a fabulous hot shower, fluffy towels and a super comfy king sized bed.  All is well with the world. 

I think tomorrow is my last day here ..... another solo day with, hopefully, lots of photo ops, people meet/greet and sunshine.

Sturgis - Day 4 (Monday)

Got so wrapped up in my bike story, I forgot to mention I went to Wyoming yesterday.  First we went to Hill City, SD where we sat out the rain, then headed north (instead of south as was planned due to the storm path). 

Heading north, we stopped in Lead, SD.  I HATE riding on gravel but in order to get to the top for the view, you have to go up a gravel drive (I have no idea how long it is...but not short).  But at the top, some spectacular scenery.  This is the location where the winter scene of "Dances with Wolves was filmed.

Ran into a bridal party - destination wedding.  Kind of sweet - they vacationed together last year in Sturgis and returned this year to tie the knot. 

Quick stop at a little hole in the wall shop that sold what appeared to me to be extra large yard art.  I wantedto bring home one of these chickens but wasn't sure it would fit on the trailer.  What do you think?



one giant rooster for my yard?



Stopped at Belle Fourche, a small town where Butch Cassidy and his pal robbed a bank.  Also famous for being the geo center of the U.S.  (although technically its 11 miles away but kind of hard to get to).



The lady there suggested dinner at a steak house in Beulah Wyoming. Why not? Off we go to a teeny little town for a decent dinner. (I asked them if they were on Facebook so I could "check in" but no internet or cell service)





me with the bike - just in case you couldn't tell

 Chilly ride back to the campground where, as you've probably already read, I had a "great" night (NOT!).  Happily typing this from a king-sized super comfy bed after having a hot, steamy, CLEAN shower! 

Tomorrow (Wed) off to Devil's Tower - in Wyoming)

Sometimes even a self-reliant/independent woman needs a Knight in Shining Armor!

Rewind to last night - 3rd night at the campground (gross showers/bathrooms, coed - there are sounds that just shouldn't be shared, ok....and I don't mean what you're probably thinking although I heard my fair share of those too! -, no electricity, living out of a car, only a small lantern for light and bands that play til 1am (what was I thinking???).  Add to that new "neighbors" who started partying in a tent about 2 ft from mine at 4 am!    That's when I dialed 1/800-Hilton and got a room for the rest of the week.

So, how to orchestrate the move.  It was tricky because I have a car, a trailer and a motorcycle and I'm moving 30 miles away.   The plan was to leave the Tahoe and trailer at the campground, then return there later in the week so the guys could help me load it onto the trailer. I took down the tent, packed/organized everything into two piles - one to leave in the Tahoe and one to take with me to the hotel.  Was in the middle of strapping bags to the motorcycle when a rain storm approached, so I opted to put everything in the Tahoe and drive that to the hotel.  A good decision.  Drove the whole way in rain but got checked in to a brand new hotel and then drove back to the campground.

Here's where the trouble began.  I started the bike, drove about 10 feet and it just died.  Now I'm no mechanic and I only know a few basic things to check (like is it a dead battery etc).  Battery wasn't dead.  The bike just had its 5000 mile check-up 2 weeks ago, so I was perplexed.  I've mentioned bikers are nice and I have to say, guys really seem to like lady bikers so I wasn't surprised when several guys in the campground gathered around the bike to diagnose the problem.   Now this is where it gets tricky because, while you're thankful people are so helpful, you really don't know who to trust....you're asking yourself "do any of these guys really know anything I don't?".  And they didn't, but that's ok.  I enjoyed their concern and willingness to help!  Oh, I didn't mention the two guys I had been riding with headed for the hills (literally) earlier in the morning, so they weren't there.

So I do what any smart woman would do (I think), I googled Harley Davidson locations (yeah, IPhone!) , got the number for the Rapid City shop and called them.  Here's the recording "due to high numbers of bikers this week, we are not accepting phone calls".  Great.  Now what?   I called Matt (always there to help me :) and it was great having his moral support via phone.  I called the HD shop at home and Bill was great.  He's so calm and patient.  He walked me through a few other checks I hadn't tried but unfortunately, they didn't work.  So I decide to just take the bike to Rapid City (where I had just come from) hoping the service guys there would take pity on me and help me (this is the only HD shop in the area and there are an extra 400,000 or so motorcycles in the area, so I wasn't really optimistic). 

Next task - getting the bike loaded on the trailer - minimally a 2-man job, maybe 3.  I look around the campground to see who had a trailer, thinking if they trailered their own bikes, they could surely help me get mine on the trailer.  Got some volunteers who got the bike on the trailer (Terry, I need to buy you a new red cover for taillight - I'll explain this when I see you but let me just say there was an "off track" launch  Light works fine but it is cracked :(

I drive back to Rapid City.  At this point I'm thinking I'm probably going to have to cut my Sturgis trip short and drive home with a broken bike.  I'm pretty sad.  But I give myself a pep talk on the drive...nobody is dead (that's my motto for most things - having been a nurse at a trauma center), I had 4 great days of riding and covered almost all the territory on my list. And, imagine if this problem had occurred while I was 50 miles away, riding alone in the Black Hills somewhere!

I get to the HD shop and you'd have to be there to witness how they organize the incoming bike and car traffic (remember, 400,000 bikers and most stop here at least once during their trip).  I knew there was a service line because I'd been there earlier in the week.  I explain my bike is broken to 3 or 4 different traffic conrol guys and they continue to guide me to the service area.  Here's where I got an "up close and personal" customer service experience that still amazes me, 9 hrs later.  They park me right at the front and instruct me to go find a "tech".  I say "where do I find a tech?".   A little cutie (age 20?) walks me over.  The tech, Doug, is on a break, but he walks back with me to the bike.  I explain the situation.  He starts checking a few things and to make a long story slightly less long, he takes off the seat, pulls out a fuse, walks back to the shop to get a new one and the next thing you know, the bike starts.  5 - 10 min max.  I was so surprised and emotional I told told him I needed a hug.  Had he not been married I'd have brought him home (he hails from Peoria, by the way).  He was just what the doctor ordered - not only an expert diagnostician, but just the right personality for me at that moment.  Calm and gentle and informative.  I asked him  how much I owed and where to pay and he says "no charge". 

As a side-note for my medical friends, he said they get so many bikes in their shop due to bike week that they encounter high numbers of weird bike issues, so their diagnostic skills are fine-tuned (my words, not his).  In my mind no different than a physician who may or may not have enough experience to diagnose a medical problem.

To close out the day, I now have ended up with both the car and bike at the hotel (Doug offered to get guys to unload the bike but I wasn't sure how I'd get to and from the hotel with both).  I tell Matt, if I can't sweet talk some guys into helping me unload the bike, I'll be driving home tomorrow morning.  This is a frustrating situation for someone like me who doesn't encounter too many things I can't take care of myself.  I'm walking down the hallway of the hotel and two guys and a gal are walking the opposite direction.  I explain the situation and ask if they'd be willing to help me - "honey, you bet we'll help you".  We get to the Tahoe and who comes roaring into the lot but Lynn and Rooney, the two guys from Champaign.  The bike gets unloaded and I'm back in business.  I am grateful for all the help - so many people jumping in to help a stranger.  We find out the other guys are from St. Louis.  And guess what they do for a hobby...they build bikes. 


powder blue custom bike

 I am now happily ensconced in a hotel.  I feel like I've re-joined the 21st century.  The vacation continues tomorrow.


Sturgis - my humble abode

Several people have emailed me asking for photos of my tent and the campsite, so I took a few this morning.  This is the tent.  It's like the palace of tents in the campground (however, all you have to do is go around the curve of the camp road and you come across the monster RV's - now there are some palaces on wheels).

this is the screened room side....my bike is in there

other side of the tent

This building is what I call "hygiene central"  The green doors are individual showers - notice the long line of people waiting to shower.  (I'm not sure if they go to bed with all the road grime on them or if they shower at night when they get back and again in the morning). 

There are a set of doors on one end that are "private" toilets (I use the term private loosely as this is where you have a 7 ft block wall dividing you from the other campers - also coed, like the showers).  Then at the other end there are two separate rooms - one for the guys, one for the gals.  There are 4 sinks and probably 200 women so do the math.  Brushing your teeth in the morning can be challenging.  It truly does remind me of living in a college dorm - except there are far fewer sinks.  There's always lively conversation about important things like what moisturizer w suncreen you like vs. what flat iron works the best vs. is there any point in doing anything with your hair in the morning if all you're going to do is jump on your bike and mess it up.  All ages of women. 

Here's where the band plays at night...until 1am!  I could throw a rock and hit, that's how close it is.  Fortunately it was a good band, so I sat in my tent, had a glass of wine and enjoyed the music.  Waking up at 6am to the sound of the early birds starting their bikes was a tad bit early.



band building

 I don't mind the tent...in fact its been fine.  I do mind wet muddy floors in the showers (brought my flip flops), the lines for the toilets and the coed arrangement (I like men, just not in my personal space :).  So doubt if I'll camp again if the arrangements are like this.  But I will be coming back!!  The riding has been amazing.  So, off for another day of riding.  Had my McDonald's breakfast where there is an outlet to charge the camera battery and the phone.  More later....

Sturgis - Sunday

Sturgis Day 3 (Sunday, August 7)


OK, I now get why so many people come here year after year with their motorcycles to ride in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Breathtaking beauty, roads with curves and corkscrew/pigtail turns, a couple of amazing sculptures on the sides of mountains AND beautiful weather. We left around 8am and rode to Rapid City where one of the guys wanted to shop at the Harley dealership. I have to admit every vendor imaginable was there. I found a pair of black Harley jeans which was great because they quit making them. Short stop there and then on to the Black Hills for a full day of riding. Got back to the campground around 10:30pm.

I rode the Iron Mountain road and for that I bought a tshirt that will remind me I rode: 17 miles, 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtails, 3 tunnels, saw 4 presidents, 2 splits. I want to do it again tomorrow! Also rode Needles Hwy, through Custer park to Hill City, and finally through Deadwood where we stopped for bio break tonight. Went into the Deadwood casino and saw the chair that Wild Bill was in when he was shot (or so they say) . Saw very little wildlife – one giant buffalo (actually it almost seemed like he was stationed where he was beside the road – just looking at the humans like we were nuts. I think he should have charged a buck for every photo that was taken just in the short time we stopped. He would have hay for life)


yes that is me riding past the buffalo - totally staged




Needles Hwy where there are small tunnels  This RV won't fit (apparently didn't see/read the signs warning about the size limits of this tunnel!)



Today’s observations:

-bikers are the best – or at least all of the ones I encountered. Get your camera out and there are lots of offers to take a photo for you (of you). When I was parked a little downhill and wasn’t sure I was going to be able to back up my bike, two guys immediately jumped in and rescued me (I may have to try that again :). Friendly, fun, sharing info (like the latest weather update or where to eat)

-not every business stays open during bike week. Terry S recommended dinner at Alpine Inn in Hill City (he says the best pan fried steaks ever). Well, much to my surprise, they are closed on Sundays!

-IPhones are the cat’s pajamas. When you see a storm in the distance and you wonder where the heck its headed, pop up the weather radar, put it in motion and there you go. We didn’t get wet all day even though there were storms around us – some looked pretty nasty

-its not nearly as crowded as I expected. Only hit one stop sign where there was any wait at all to get through (and actually that was due to an accident at the bottom of one of those curvy roads. A guy went off the side of the road down about 3 feet into the wooded area. He had a head injury and I was just about to hop off my bike to see if I could help (nurse here) when we heard the ambulance. No helmet. It never ceases to amaze me how many people ride without them. )

-it was raining when we got back to the campground. That little extra screened room on the side of my tent makes for a great bike garage!

-when riding in a group, you shouldn’t abandon the group….I’ll just comment that I find it pretty funny that someone got irritated because I stopped to gas up the bike (only because it was showing red) when he told me there was no way I needed gas cause his tank was half full...and that was 5pm and off he rode and that was the last we saw of him. Life’s too short for drama!

More tomorrow! I’ve got tent photos so you can my home away from home.

Sturgis - Sunday morning

I am camping in a campground right at the edge of Sturgis - a short walk from McDonalds where I have learned there is one electrical outlet where I can charge my phone and camera battery.

Yes, I am camping - right on the edge of Sturgis....where there is no electricity for tent campers!

I am currently sitting at the McDonalds writing this as my gadgets charge.  There are 4 guys sitting in the booth next to me who actually live here in Sturgis.  One gentleman (self-described "redneck" he says) has been giving me some advice about where to ride, what roads to take and what to avoid (like when I go to Devil's Tower, not to ride back at night through the Indian Reservation).    

I will post some campground photos later tonight.  Suffice to say I have one of the larger tents in the campground.  I like it!  Lots of room to spread out.  The pictures will explain what I mean.  I'm amazed at the variety of tents...some so small I doubt the "resident" could turn over to change sleeping positions.

On a positive note, people at campgrounds are friendly.  Some of my neighbors are also extremely helpful.  Case in point, yesterday when I got my tent spread out on the tarp, a couple camping across from me came right over and started helping me put up the tent.  I'm not sure I could have done it by myself so their help was much appreciated.  We had a lot of laughs and there was a lot of kidding about men/women. 

On the downside, there is one great big building that services men and women for showers, toilets and sinks.  The showers are small block rooms with a private entrance and a lock.  Reminds me of a college dorm where you have a dry area with a bench and hooks, then a curtained off shower section.  However, these little rooms are open at the top so you hear every sound (I'M SAYING EVERY SOUND!) the person next to you makes as they shower.  My observation as I showered rather late last night - men make a lot of grunting noises as well as "throat clearing" (gross) noises.  Women talk...to each other over the block walls.  And they laugh and giggle. 

I learned I can shower in 3 minutes - the amt of time you get for one quarter!  I also learned that without my glasses, its easy to confuse a little bottle of hair conditioner with a bottle of body lotion. 

The toilets are the same as the shower...you go in through a private door, however the block wall only goes up so far, so you are also hearing every sound your "neighbors" are making.  Let me just say, its just a little too communal for me!  And I'm a nurse!!

This morning I woke up at 530 am SD time.  Stayed in bed for a little while (it was really chilly).  When I did venture up to the shower house, there was a really long line of men waiting to shower.  Boy was I glad I had showered last night!!  The only separate ladies area is a room with sinks and mirrors.  Again, much like a college dorm, there were women in there putting on make-up, drying their hair etc.  A chatty group.  This part I didn't mind!!  Everyone was sharing their "how I got to Sturgis" stories.

More later.....

Day 2 (Sat)- the rest of the drive

Note : started this posting last night but it was 1am so I decided to finish it this morning. 

Sioux Falls, SD to Sturgis...who knew SD was such a wide state (well I knew it was wide, but just not 372 miles wide) - that's another 5 hrs.

It was a long drive, but the weather cooperated (except for 10 min or so of heavy rain as we drove through Rapid City this afternoon.)  I left the hotel in Sioux Falls knowing I was an hour or so ahead of Lynn and Rooney (they left Fri night and drove straight through).  They're not much into scenery and photography so I went ahead so I could make some scenic stops.  And there were some!

Saturday's observations:

-South Dakota gets prettier the further west you drive.   A song came to mind "O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain" (well actually there weren't really waves as the grain had been harvested but amber nonetheless)

They bale a lot of hay and straw in South Dakota. They even bale what they cut on the side of the road

My new friends (future riding buddies), Terry and Pam, told me to watch for the Missouri river.   It was quite a view although I and several other Sturgis bound bikers were somewhat distracted by the sign that was on the path to the scenic view.

There were lots and lots of bikers on the road today!  Constant roar of mufflers going by.  Lots of fancy rigs hauling bikes.  (I'd post photos but I'm in a McDonalds and the wifi isn't great - later)

Arrived Sturgis midafternoon, set up "camp" then went riding.  Giant bars built at the edge of town are pretty popular.  We stopped at one that had an olympic sized swimming pool and some hot tubs.  To get into their "compound" you ride right through the bar.  Then went into Sturgis to eat dinner and walk around. 

More camping details coming!

Day 1 - enroute to Sturgis

1001 miles - here we go

Left home more than an hour later than planned (there's a story there).  Headed west on I-74.  Corn field, bean field, corn field.  Got to Iowa - more corn fields and bean fields although they have a lot of rolling hills so parts of the drive were pretty.

2 bio breaks and one stop for gas = 630 miles/Sioux Falls, SD

Observations:

-activating the satellite radio - best decision ever!

-girls can jump start a car

-you can drive all day and just eat a banana and a cheese stick

-John Wayne was born in Iowa (I didn't go, just saw the sign)

-Bridges of Madison County movie was filmed in Iowa (another sign)

-rivers in Iowa have funny names (Skunk, Raccoon, Nishnabotna)

-very few motorcycles going my direction but a lot going the opposite direction (what's with that?)

-lots of flooding in western Iowa and  southeast SD 

roads lined with sandbags....down to one lane

A nice uneventful day. Weather was great except for some heavy rain in DesMoines.  Hotel in Sioux Falls tonight.  Sturgis tomorrow.  Weather isn't looking great for the week.



several wind farms in Iowa