Sturgis was a blast but I don't think I would go back during Rally week. Great roads to ride, beautiful scenery but just too crazy with too many bikes on the road. It's incomprehensible how many bikes, mostly Harleys, there are out there. A ka-zillion, to be sure. Honest. No less than a ka-zillion. Last estimate I heard was 240,000 bikes. And a million people.
Every little town within a 150 mile radius of Sturgis had at least 3,000 bikes at any given time, 24/7. Huett, WY went from a population of 3 to 20,000 on Thursday for No Panties Day. I was a good boy and didn't go. Deadwood was the coolest town by far.
Camped away from most of the madness and in the middle of the Black Hills and all the great rides. If anyone goes there, I recommend Fort WeLIKit Family Campground in Custer, SD. It is a family site with great facilities. http://www.fortwelikit.com/fort/camppics.html
Did not see 1 bus at the rally! Many bikers where looking enviously at us, though. ;) Not a tent, not a 5th wheel, not a huge motor home but with all the creature comforts of home. HA! Sweeet.
Miles on bike: 1,989 Miles on Freedom: 2,510 Sleeping in Freedom: Priceless Incidents along the way:Bolt for handlebar riser came off allowing the handlebar to rotate 360 degrees. Luckily it occurred at a gas station in Chadron, NE and not while going 70mph. And lucky again, there was a Honda MC dealership 3 doors down. Bad luck, good luck. Yin-yang.
Got heatstroke on the 7th day of riding so took it off and chilled at the campsite.
Freedom overheated in rush hour traffic in Pueblo, CO, again while climbing the hill out of Pueblo and a 3rd time while climbing the last hill out of CO, all on I25S. Just had to let him cool down, though. BTW: It was 103F mid-day heat and the hills had an 8% or more incline with an elevation climb of over 2,000' or more.
Needed a jump in Briggs, TX. The starter only causes trouble when it is over 100F. It seems to need more umph to crank when it's hot.
Bus sightings: Amarillo (I25N/hwy87N): Bay with BLANCO painted on it's side.North of Alliance, NE (hwy385N): 4 - 5 pristine bugs, a bay (Homer orange!) looking like it was headed to the garage for restoration and a rabbit or schrocket. The house was in the middle of nowhere by most standards and a definite VW enthusiast lived there!
Scenic, SD (hwy44 - Badlands): Stock '87 vanagon, maroon w/air. Family of four from Canada.
Deadwood, SD (hwy85S): An early-year, square-faced vanagon, orange w/white top, with CA plates and an escort car from CA. I wished Sammy was there to help identify the year!
Rocky Mountain N.P. (hwy34): Vanagon heading down from the pass towards Estes Park. Rocky Mountain N.P. (hwy34): Vanagon heading up towards the pass from Grants Lake.
And the most buses in one place: Nederland, CO. Three bays sitting in an overgrown yard rusting away (thought of Peter and Sammy). A psychedelic bay sitting in a driveway (thought of Julie). An early bay driving through town. And a vanagon coming south into town.
Waffles, mmmmmmm. _________________________________________________________________Puzzles, trivia teasers, word scrambles and more. Play for your chance to win! http://club.live.com/home.aspx?icid=CLUB_hotmailtextlink
