Colorado & South Dakota
Our first really big bike trip... Took a trip to Colorado and up through South Dakota. The total mileage was about 4300 miles and it was a very eventful trip!
Left early on the first day and were making incredible time when we broke down in Beckley, West Virginia. Had to spend two days in Beckley before getting the bike fixed and back on the road. First day back on the road and shortly after leaving our hotel in Grayson, Kentucky we learn that New York, Washington DC, and Philidelphia had been attacked by terrorists (it was September 11th). Two days later we finally reach Colorado (what an accomplishment) and get a call from our place of employment informing us that 11 people were laid off (co-workers we will never see again). While in Colorado Springs, we went to visit the Air Force Academy (the whole reason we went to Colorado) and it was closed to visitors due to the terrorist attacks. A couple days after that we were trucking on through South Dakota and we run into our first real rain storm of the trip. It rained on us most of the day. The next day held the foggiest conditions I've ever ridden through. A few days after that we were back home.
Day 1 - Saturday, September 8, 2001
Chris's starting mileage = 6376
Marty's starting mileage = 4321
Saw a hot air balloon.
Met a guy traveling all 48 states on his bike. He wasn't very good at packing.
Went through 1 WV toll ($1.25 each bike).
Shortly after going through the toll my bike started hesitating a little. I looked down and the tachometer was going crazy pinning the needle back and forth between the two extremes. The display on the speedometer was blinking on and off. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road. I shut the bike off and turned it back on and it seemed fine. So we kept going. A mile later the bike just shut off. I pulled over and Marty turned around and came back. Bike wouldn't start - dead battery. I pulled out my cell phone - no service. I pulled the seat off to make sure all the connections looked okay. Pulled the battery out to make sure those connections were okay. Everything looked fine. Did find out that the bolt holding the rear of the rear tailpipe to the exhaust bracket was missing so the rear pipe had been floating in the air for a while. Fortunately, there was a piece of VERY heavy duty wire on the ground only inches from the rear tire that Marty used to temporarily hold the tailpipe to the bracket. What luck! Marty went to the next exit, luckily only a mile down the road, and called HOG Roadside Assistance. They were going to send a tow truck. An hour later, no sign of tow truck so Marty went back and called again. They hadn't found anyone yet in our area that could handle motorcycles. Told us that if we found one first to let them know. We waited almost another hour, finally a state road crew worker called a truck on his radio and they came and got us. It was $35 to go a couple miles to the Super 8 Motel in Beckley, WV. They were nice and towed my bike on their flatbed without damaging anything on the bike. By this time it was 5 pm on Saturday and nothing was open. Nothing was open Sunday either and there were no local shops in Beckley. I called the Harley dealership in Bluefield, WV (Cole's HD), and even though they were closed people were still there cleaning up from their open house they'd had that day. I explained my situation and was passed along to a guy that was very helpful. He told me several things to check on the bike and then gave me his home phone number so I could call him at home and let him know what I found. I checked everything he told me to check (make sure battery has good ground, make sure positive cable hasn't pulled away from where it attaches to the starter, make sure regulator has good ground connection, etc, etc, etc). Still couldn't find anything wrong (battery still dead). I called and told him and he said that if he wasn't already obligated to going on some big ride on Sunday that he'd meet me at the shop on Sunday but he couldn't, so he sent someone t pick up my bike Sunday evening and sent someone else to pick me up Monday morning and by the time I got there my bike was fixed. It was a bad battery! They said that it rarely happens, but they tested everything else and alternator was putting out good charge and regulator testing fine, but the battery wouldn't even take enough of a charge to even perform the load test on it. They said it was a very bad battery. So they put a new one in there, I bought a bolt and put it in the rear exhaust bracket and we were on our way by noon on Sunday! It was a very nice experience with Cole's Harley-Davidson in Bluefield, West Virginia.
Was very disappointed that we were sitting on the side of I-77 for 2 hours and only 1 guy (who happened to be on a '89 Gold Wing) stopped to help. I estimate at least 50 or more bikes passed and stared, but did not stop. Very disappointing.
Day 2 - Sunday, September 9, 2001
A guy from Cole's HD came to pick up my bike with the trailer. He came at 10 pm on Sunday night instead of Monday morning because he had to go out of town on Monday and he wanted to make sure my bike got to the dealership so I could get on the road as soon as possible. He and his wife were both very nice and I enjoyed talking with them.
Day 3 - Monday, September 10, 2001
People in Kentucky seem to run the speed limit or under!
Went through 3 WV tolls ($1.25 each bike at each toll)
Day 4 - Tuesday, September 11, 2001
At our first stop (at a rest area in Kentucky) a guy that worked there asked us how long we've been on the road today. Marty told him about an hour or so and he said to follow him. We did and he led us to his back office where he had a TV and showed us the news. This is how we found out that the World Trade Center in NY and the Pentagon in DC had been hit with planes. It was quite shocking. I do not really know anyone that would've been affected by it so I didn't really have anyone close to worry about, but I had both shock and an incredible sadness in me. I do have a very good friend that works and lives in DC. Fortunately, my Mom was able to email her a day or two later and confirm that everything was all right with her. She knew people in the Pentagon at the time, but none of them were injured.
In a very odd situation we drove through a cloud. The land was very flat in this particular area of Kentucky and you could see this big gray cloud from miles and miles away. We rode right into it and then out the other side. Very strange!
Driving through St. Louis was pretty bad. It smells bad, the traffic was bad, too many construction zones, and the roads are in terrible condition. Overall, didn't like St. Louis at all!
You know you are going kind of slow when in your journey you pass the same 2 hitchhikers 3 times in 1 day!! Maybe we should've just thumbed instead of ridden the bikes. Probably would've made better time!
We saw the stadium complex for the St. Louis Cardinals.
We drove on Mark McGuire Highway.
We crossed the Mississippi River.
I observed that the people in MO run WAY over the speed limit.
Day 5 - Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Got a USA Today from the hotel we stayed at. Wrapped it in a garbage bag and put it in the bottom of my t-bag.
Crossed over George Brett Bridge
Kansas City wasn't too bad - pretty neat!
Saw stadiums for Kansas City Chiefs and Royals
Went through 1 KS toll
Day 6 - Thursday, September 13, 2001
Rain storm just as we were getting to Colorado Springs. I took pictures of it against the backdrop of some pretty spectacular mountains.
Today I learned that 11 people were laid off at our office.
Day 7 - Friday, September 14, 2001
Got some souvenirs and post cards at the Cog Railway station.
Got some more souvenirs from the Cave of the Winds.
Day 8 - Saturday, September 15, 2001
Saw a lot of military planes flying around over Colorado Springs.
Got a sweatshirt that says "Colorado" from Garden of the Gods and a bracelet and necklace
Got a couple t-shirts from Pikes Peak Harley-Davidson
I've noticed the bike runs a little different in the higher elevations. It hesitates a little when taking off either at stoplights or when passing someone. It also idles a little lower.
Day 9 - Sunday, September 16, 2001
Saw road kill - porcupine, coyote, skunk.
Saw in fields - antelope, mule deer, and lots of cows!
In Newcastle, WY, we were going down the road to go to the gas station and all of the sudden a mule deer crossed the road right in front of us (and a truck going the opposite direction) and ran up this steep hill to our right and jumped the 4 or 5 foot fence at the top of the hill. An incredible sight to see so close up!
Just after crossing into South Dakota on a small state road we were told to keep an eye out for bears so we were scanning the fields and woods on either side of the road. A little ways down the road a big black blob caught both our eyes and we did a u-turn in the road and went back. Didn't see it that time around so figured we'd scared it away. Did another u-turn and saw it again when passing by so we stopped on the side of the road. It was too far away to see very well and we weren't sure it was a bear so Marty beeped his horn and revved his engine to get it to move. It didn't move so we figured it must've just been a big tree stump or something different. Just seconds after I asked him if he wanted me to get my binoculars out it moved. Just as soon as I got ready to say that it was a bear the thing lifted up his big white head and I saw that it was the BIGGEST cow I have EVER seen in my entire life (and I'd seen a lot of cows at this point too). Oh well. We got a good laugh.
We did notice that the people in Spearfish seemed to be awfully rude to us. It took me a while to find out if it was because we were out-of-towners or because we were bikers. I decided it was because we were bikers. I assume they must've gotten some bad spillover from the Sturgis rally or something. People would walk within 10 feet of us and stare us straight in the eye and we would give a friendly hello and they would keep walking, not a word, not a wave or nod or anything and keep staring and walk right by. Marty was getting frustrated so he kept trying harder and harder to get someone to be friendly (I think he saw it as a challenge) but to no avail. They just didn't want us there I guess. Rudest people I've ever come across!
Day 10 - Monday, September 17, 2001
At the Harley shop in Sturgis they were having a special on their t-shirts (buy one get one free) so we got several of those! They also told us that the count for the 2001 rally was 530,000 people!!
At Mount Rushmore there was no fee to go there but there was an $8 parking fee for each bike. It made me angry because we shared a parking space and I couldn't talk them into letting us just pay $8 instead of $16.
Met a couple at Mt. Rushmore from Salina, KS who rode their Ultra there. They were newer than we were and asked a lot of questions. We talked with them for about 2 hours. Very nice people. They ended up staying at the same hotel as us and when we finally got back from Custer State Park we talked to them again for another hour or two.
Was raining most of the way through Needles Highway and got dark when we got on 16A to return to Rapid City. We still had our tinted visors on so we had to flip them up (rain stinging faces and all). It was 53 that day so I imagine it was much colder in the dark, but I couldn't tell because I was just trying to keep my bike on the road. Highway 16A is a VERY curvy road! (That's an understatement).
In Custer State Park we had to pay $10 for each bike just to ride through it!! We saw buffalo, deer, elk, big horn sheep, and longhorn steer, and these signs: "Please do not approach the buffalo, they are dangerous" and "Please stay on designated roads" (I'm trying!)
Day 11 - Tuesday, September 18, 2001 - Happy Anniversary!!!
When we were eating breakfast at Perkins we saw that couple that we met at Mt. Rushmore at the other side of the place and kind of nodded at them. As they were leaving the guy stopped by to say good-bye and have a good trip and all and then left. After that our waitress came up and asked if we knew those people that came to our table and we said yes. She said that's good because they just paid for your breakfast! It brought tears to my eyes that those people that we really barely knew would do something like that for us (it was for our anniversary - married 2 years). I always say "You meet the nicest people when you're on bikes". We caught them just before they took off from the hotel and thanked them. It made my day - heck, it made my trip! No one has ever done that for me before!!
We put off leaving until about 11 am because it was raining. We ended up riding through the rain from Rapid City till Chamberlain, SD (about 2/3 the way to Sioux Falls). The clouds seemed to be going the same way we were!
We did not go through the Badlands because it was raining and also they charge a fee just to go through there on that road too (boy they charge for everything out in South Dakota!).
Day 12 - Wednesday, September 19, 2001
At the McDonalds we ate at an older couple started talking to us. They were traveling in a camper and were from somewhere around St. Louis. They told us that if we needed a place to stay that we were more than welcome to park our bikes in the driveway and use their guest bedroom. I was flattered and thought it was very nice but wonder how often they actually have strangers stay in their guest bedroom!
Took a ¼ mile long metal grate (big grates too) toll bridge from Iowa into Nebraska. It was 75 cents per bike. We got gas in Nebraska and turned around and came back. It cost us $3 for the three minutes it took to add Nebraska to the list of states that we've been to.
Day 13 - Thursday, September 20, 2001
Bikes running better and getting better gas mileage now. They would go on reserve at about 133 in the higher altitude. Today we got to 146 and still hadn't gone on reserve. Passing is a lot easier now too! After riding all day everyday for almost 2 weeks I can "feel" my bike better.
My bike turned 10,000 miles at Evansville, IN!!
Day 14 - Friday, September 21, 2001
Got behind a big truck going through the second toll in West Virginia and didn't see until it was too late that we were in the EZPass lane (no cash). Marty tried to pay the guy running the lane next to ours but he said just to go on through before we get run over. So we did! Paid at the first toll we went through ($1.25 per bike).
We decided to go on to Beckley instead of staying in Charleston, WV. We liked Beckley better (smaller town) and we didn't like the first Knights Inn we stayed at so we got a Days Inn in Beckley.
When I went to check us in at the Days Inn the line was out the door. Evidently they were all golfers on some tour. Some of them would politely nod at me but most of them gave me that "holier then thou" look the whole 45 minutes I had to wait in line. Little do they know, I worked at a golf shop and sent them their membership dues every month for 9 years throughout high school and college.
Day 15 - Saturday, September 22, 2001
Chris's ending mileage = 10689
Marty's ending mileage = 8742
Total mileage = ~ 4300-4400
Saw a lot of bikes this day but was getting frustrated as I waved at them all and hardly any of them waved back. Don't know what was up with that.
Almost got hit by a hawk that dove down on the side of the road to catch a small animal. He tried to fly away and if it hadn't been for the fact that whatever he was going to carry was so heavy that he couldn't get off the ground he would've flown right into me.
Gave my parents the stuff I'd brought them home (a bell and some black hills gold earrings for my Mom and a mug and a shot glass for my Dad)
Day 16 - Sunday, September 23, 2001
Gave Marty's parents' their gifts (a black hills gold necklace for his Mom, and a Harley Zippo lighter from Sturgis for his Dad, and a black hills gold angel pin for his grandmother)
Overall Notes:
Got map and took a picture at each states' welcome center.
In the future we need to include talking to people when budgeting our ride time.
We have some dirty bikes!!!
I took 14 rolls of pictures - I'm sure not all of them will be great.
Proudest moments were getting to Colorado, getting to Sturgis, crossing the 10,000 mile mark, and getting home.
States we Visited this Trip
North Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
Kentucky
Indiana
Illinois
Missouri
Kansas
Colorado
Wyoming
South Dakota
Iowa
Nebraska
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