- A Motorcycle Ride Report /w Pics - Sturgis 2012' - Page 2:
Two hours later, the storm passes and it feels warm, so I’m back on the road.
I make it to a small village in South Dakota. Anyone who as ever traveled through the back roads of SD knows that almost every little town has a city park where it is often possible to camp. It is simply part of the culture here.
Off the corner of my eye in the dark, I see an RV parked at a small city park, perfect. My camp is up in no time. It feels great to be dry and bedded down.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-9NPJGdK/0/M/A0320-M.jpg)
Strong coffee, water, nuts, trail mix and dried apricots, I am good to go, yeah!
It is still raining a little in the morning but soon stops. I pack up early and take off.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-xmsWX99/0/L/A0400-L.jpg)
Flying west into South Dakota is enjoyable as always with the speed limit rising from 55 to 65 MPH on the state and county roads. All is good until I pass through a couple towns without gasoline. Now I know I am not going to make it to the Missouri River without running out of fuel, so I ride south to highway I90 where I know there will be fuel. I coast along at 50 MPH for what seemed like forever paying attention not to use any unnecessary throttle or fuel.
There is a motorcycle couple on the side of the road. I give the ‘what’s up’ sigh with palms facing up. The woman returns the gesture, they are probably out of gas, like me in two minutes. I will return with gas, it’s only ten miles before the freeway, that is, if I don’t run out first.
The bike coasts into a little gas station on fumes. My tank is a 4.3 gallon thing I bought on Ebay in 2006’, I pumped in 4.62 gallons, a record. I empty an old water jug to use for gas to bring back to the couple. That’s the yellow stuff in the photo.
About half way back I see the couple is back on the road, they must have had someone else bringing them gas. All is good, I will use this fuel eventually, plus I planned to go back to the Missouri river anyway. At the gas station, I can see I-94 is packed with RVs, SUVs pulling trailers and motorcycles. There is almost no traffic on the roads I’m riding, just the way I like it.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-k7CM4VN/0/L/A0420-L.jpg)
The gravel back roads in SD are great for riding and sightseeing.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-w5cLsvq/0/L/A0430-L.jpg)
Old abandoned farmhouses are fun to photograph. I think that by looking at the image long enough it will eventually tell a story.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-6ScFFHZ/0/L/A0440-L.jpg)
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-RXXhL8r/0/L/A0460-L.jpg)
What is the deal with the school buses?
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-PJmBMkN/0/M/A0450-M.jpg)
While taking photos a local stops to chit-chat. He is a young guy, maybe late twenties and says he has lived here is entire life and how he enjoys it. I rave about the scenery and beauty of the land. He is a pleasure to talk with.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-4TNbGxj/0/M/A0470-M.jpg)
These roads are not on any of my maps, which add to the fun.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-ZQDm3JV/0/M/A0480-M.jpg)
This road leads to a dead-end, all good, at least I tried it.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-tddvZjz/0/M/A0490-M.jpg)
This could be a space vehicle ---
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-fLm3hV9/0/L/A0500-L.jpg)
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-MjHVftK/0/L/A0502-L.jpg)
Time to use the spare gas.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-GCfGQL6/0/XL/A0503-XL.jpg)
It is windy as heck today so the only reprieve out here in the middle of nowhere is behind some type of structure.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-74V39ZQ/0/M/A0504-M.jpg)
Reprieve
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-2Wn2S4m/0/XL/A0506-XL.jpg)
The road turns to tarmac.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-HTKThBw/0/L/A0507-L.jpg)
Then more gravel, and that is good.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-rqwrTQp/0/L/A0508-L.jpg)
There are areas called ‘Public use areas’ all over SD. Many of them are ten or more miles down a rough dirt road. Check out the ones along the Missouri river if you have a chance, the hardest to get to are often the best, and you most likely will have the place to yourself.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-TBF7tpn/0/S/A0509-S.jpg)
A swim and a little laundry is a favorite thing for me while traveling, it allows me to bring less stuff and for some reason I just like it. I even find myself doing laundry in a hotel sink while traveling for work, like I’m obsessed. It just feels good. Maybe it reminds me of being ‘On the Road’ and I don’t want to let that go. I’m sure.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-CC66nrf/0/L/A0510-L.jpg)
While riding along, the bike is feeling squirrelly. I pull over next to a farmhouse and find my real axel nut has come off. S! I knew the cotter pin was brittle when I changed the rear wheel, it half fell apart! I even bought 2 new cotter pins in Minnesota, but of course never installed them. HS am I a dumb F!
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-QFqPhJ5/0/M/A0512-M.jpg)
The axel worked itself part way out and is pinned in by the lip where the threads are. I cannot get the axel pounded back in with the bike standing. I have to find a ditch to drop the bike to be able to get the axel back in all the way. I borrow a hammer from a woman at the farmhouse who had come out to see if I need anything. How nice is that! I love SD.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-pGjc4nh/0/L/A0514-L.jpg)
The axel pounds right back in. Vice-grip pliers are the best, with rope it’s a temporary fix. Now its fifteen mile back to Pierre South Dakota, where I hope there will be a hardware store or bike shop open. It’s goanna be after 5:00 PM and I need a big bolt and washer. I have a cotter pin.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-hMRnjLG/0/M/A0515-M.jpg)
Unreal, Pierre has a Harley Davidson shop and its still open at 5:40PM, Oh Yeah. It cost me under three dollars for the parts. I make a comment at the checkout and a guy says “I thought there was a fifty dollar minimum!” we all laugh.
![](http://cavebiker.smugmug.com/Adventure-Travel/Sturgis12/i-cWnS7r3/0/M/A0516-M.jpg)
There is still plenty of daylight left, hopefully enough to make it to the Badlands on all back roads. If it starts getting dark I will be camping somewhere along one of these back roads, and there isn’t nothing wrong with that, right.
Hold on! Much more...
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