My how time flies, seems like yesterday I was leaving for the 43rd annual!
Here we are preparing for the 85th annual. Ok who is up for the task? Seems like everyone is busy or just not interested. “Easy G” and “Dorm Lady” has already departed for Colorado. “Taz Tim” and Zack and his family left separately. I left by myself to catch Colorado before Sturgis.
I left on a Friday morning with plans to make Raton Pass by nightfall. I left at first light. Nice and cool for awhile. Stopped in Big Spring to see Don and Paul. Checked out Paul’s new bike shop. He checked my primary fluid. It was a little overfilled. Drained a little out. All good. Head north and west. Make Amarillo, Make my usual stop at Smokey Joes. Grab a burger and a cold brew.
Hit Hwy 1061, kinda’ the back road to Dalhart. Cuts off quite a few miles. Clear sailing to Clayton, New Mexico. Dodge some rain between Clayton and Raton Pass. Arrive in Raton Pass probably around 5pm. About 650 miles for the day. Enough for one day with extreme heat over a 100.
Next morning meet “Bronco Bryan” in Colorado City for breakfast. After breakfast, I went back to his place to unload my bags. Time to ride! Run to Florence. Maybe 30 miles away. Nice brewery downtown with a bike show going on. A good stop. We make another stop in town and travel west to Texas Creek cutoff. Head south to Westcliff. Local bar with cold draft. We head back to “Bronco Bryans” for dinner. The neighbor is preparing steaks, how neighborly! We eat our fill. Time for some rest.
Next morning, time to travel west to Salida. My friend, Ronnie resides in Salida. Make a stop to see him. We catch up with another Brain in town for dinner. Good Mexican food and a few margaritas make for a good evening.
Next morning, time to head for Sturgis. I take the scenic route! Up through Leadville. Make a stop at the Manhattan in Leadville. Had to see an old friend of 30 years. Always good to see old friends. After a nice visit, time to travel north. Make a quick stop at Climax, for a photo op.
I run north to the interstate then head north to Steamboat Springs. Just before Steamboat I catch Hwy 14 to Walden. Nice scenic drive to Laramie. From Laramie to Wheatland turn into prairieland. Catch the interstate at Wheatland and travel to Douglas.
Find a room in Douglas for the evening. Rooms are. crazy overpriced. You have to search for the best deal! Got to be frugal on these long trips!
Next morning, here I come Sturgis! I make Sturgis about 2pm in the afternoon. “Easy G “ and the rest of the crew is staying just south of Lead. My other friend from Montana is staying at a motel in Sturgis. Brian from Montana met me at the Vets Club in downtown Sturgis. After catching up on old times, we roll back to the motel. I reach out to “Easy G” and the crew, they are on the other side of town. I decide to campout at Brians for the evening. That floor was kinda’ hard. One night not too bad!
Next day we ride to Rapid City and meet up with “Easy G”, “Dorm Lay”, “Taz Tim”, Zack and family. I follow them back to Lead where I have a bed in “Taz Tims” room. Next day we have coffee and breakfast downstairs from the cabin. I met a guy named Pete from Kentucky. He road a 250 cc Janus from Kentucky to Sturgis! Top speed for the bike is 60. Taking your life in your own hands doing that on an Interstate!. Did I mention he has one leg! Quite the trooper! More power to him! Go Pete!
Later that day we go to Rochford, a tiny little bar and grill is about the only thing in town. Super old building. It’s a shortcut to Hill City. The only problem, the road was under construction. We traveled back to Lead and took the long road to Hill City. It’s about the journey! We grabbed some chow in Hill City. Nice restaurant with a view of the street down below. Back to Lead for the evening.
Next morning Zack and his family head back to Texas. We head to Full Throttle Saloon. This is quite the place. This place covers a bunch of acres. Lots of bar stations and food venues. Plenty of things to look at.
Next day off to Rapid City Harley, The guys from Fredericksburg are out there. Perry, Rick, Randy and others. We meet up and have a few.
Next day everyone from my camp is heading back. I packup and head to Buffalo Chip. Z Z Top is performing tonight. I Meet Doc at the Vets Club for a warmup party. Hard to get away from good company. Off to the Chip! I’ve got a new tent I been hauling for quite some time. Time to use it! I set it up next to Jims R V. Weather is good, no rain in sight. Didn’t bother to fix the rain fly. Off to the concert. Just before Z Z Top come on, It started to rain. Well after about 2 hours of music and rain the concert ended. I go back to the tent, you know what happened! Wet tent and sleeping bag!. Got to make the best of it! Crawl into the tent, everything is wet. 60 degrees out! Wow a miserable night.
The next morning, the zipper got stuck on the tent. Had to cut my way out with my pocket knife. Needless to say, it was the last time for that tent! It went straight to the trash can. That will be my last time to use a tent!
The next day was the official second day of the rally. Guess what, too many people for me. The people counting the attendance, said 500,000
people in the 2 week time frame. That’s a lot of people for a small town of 5000 people.
Time for me to leave town. I had planned on going to North Dakota to meet up with “Spike” and ride upstate Michigan. “Spike” had some medical issues and couldn’t make the trip. O well next time!
I travel back to Cheyenne Wyoming for the evening. I check into a motel across the street from the Eagles Nest Bar. Make my way across the street for a cold one.
I noticed 3 guys move to a table behind me. One guy walks over, is this You!, pointing to a picture on his phone. For sure, me and some friends at the Watering Hole back in Snook, Texas. Folks, it’s a small world! 1500 miles from home and people know you! After a couple of hours of swapping stories, it’s time for bed.
Next morning, time to run south, It’s Sunday morning, Denver here I come, Smooth sailing right through town. Back to Colorado City, “Bronco Bryan” meets me at High Octane Grill. After a sandwich, time to ride. Run down to Walsenburg, Stop at a bar run by a 93 year old man, Bought it 30 years back. Been trying to sell for 25. Nothing like retirement!
Off west to La Vita and Cuchara, The Dog Bar. I think everyone there has a dog! After petting all the dogs, time to ride. Back to Hwy 69 to Westcliffe. Back to the bar shaped like a golf ball. After a couple, back to “Bronco Bryans.”
Next morning decide to run back to Salida have lunch with Ronnie. After lunch. North to Buena Vista left to Cottonwood Pass, 1400 ft plus. Back to Gunnison, to Montrose. A good stop for the evening. Secure a room and rest up.
Next morning off to the Million Dollar Hwy. Arrive in Ouray around 9am. Too early for a brew! Head up the mountain. Stop at a turn-out for a picture. Pull back on the Hwy. The road is blocked. The officer said, someone ran off the cliff. Wow 400 ft drop! Found out later one person survived. Truly a miracle!
Off to Silverton, worlds highest Harley shop! A stop at the Handlebar Grill. Nothing like a good Bloody Mary to get things going! I continue south to Durango, It’s warming up, 95 or so in Durango. That’s hot for Durango! I catch Hwy 160 to Pagosa Springs. On to Chama. Make a stop in Chama, $7 beer, I don’t think so. I continue eastward to Taos. Stop for a green chili burger. Always good! On to Las Vegas for the evening. I stay at the same motel every year. The old lady that runs it has to be a hundred! She is always nice and the rates are reasonable.
Next morning, It’s the home stretch. Down through Ft Sumner and Clovis. A boring and hot ride. Went right through Lubbock this time, not too bad, Down through Lamesa and Big Spring. Stopped in Sterling City, it was so hot, had to get some tea and cool down, 104 degrees. 13 days on the road and 3900 miles, no breakdowns or mishaps.
Like I always say live life to the hilt, you never know when it’s your last trip!
LIVE FREE AND RIDE OFTEN
DAD
