2024... A Trip Cut Short.
I was hoping to take a another 10 day trip in 2024, but it was cut short. I managed to get in 6 days and 1885 miles though. On a Saturday, I packed my 2019 Z900RS Cafe and headed west. I was going to South Dakota to meet up with my friend John. He had gone west several days prior to attend the Sturgis Rally. He's hoping to make 50 in a row, that trip put him at 48.
I made it 460 miles from home to Faulkton, SD on the first day. On Sunday, after 250 more miles, I met up with John and his friends Kevin and Pam. They had come down from Alaska to attend the Rally. By Sunday night, John was starting to not feel well. I was staying with John in a camper cabin in Belle Fourche.
By Monday morning, John was too sick to get out of bed. Kevin got John a Covid Test Kit and John was positive. John wanted to stay in bed, so I led Kevin and Pam on a trip through the Black Hills. Most of the Rally traffic was gone, so it worked out nicely. We did all the touristy things... We came up Iron Mountain Road from the south so they could see Mount Rushmore while driving through 2 tunnels. We stopped at the Peter Norbeck Scenic Overlook for pictures. We drove into Keystone for lunch and souvenir shopping. Kevin, thanks for buying me lunch! We stopped at Mount Rushmore, paid the parking fee and walked through the various gift shops.. We went into the Crazy Horse monument, watched a movie about the history of it, and did some more shopping. Kevin and Pam were happy to have me as their tour guide as they drove over 3000 miles to see the area, so I figured we should stop and see it.
On Tuesday, John was still sick, and Kevin and Pam were packing up for their return to Alaska, so I had the day to my self. I decided to go to Devils Tower in Wyoming. I pretty much had the roads to myself. In the nearly 50 miles to the tower, I think I saw only 3 or 4 cars on the road the entire way. I took Hwy 34 out of Belle Fourche until it turns into 24 at the Wyoming border. Then 24 all the way to Devils Tower. After a short break I continued towards Sundance, then rode the frontage road along side I-90 all the way to Spearfish, SD. Once in Spearfish, I enjoyed a nice trip up and down the empty Spearfish Canyon. A great day for a solo ride!
The original plan was to head further west and make it a 10 day trip, but because John was sick we thought it best to head home.
On Wednesday, I woke up feeling like crap. We pressed on and made it home by Thursday afternoon.
Pics from the trip...
First stop in Foley, MN at a roadside attraction... Foleyland. All kinds of stuff from old cars to green aliens.
I had passed by this self propelled howitzer many times but never stopped to check it out until this trip..
The always required state line picture..
Middle of nowhere South Dakota...
Meeting up with John, and our mutual friend, Terresah, AKA "the mother of the child I never had"... A long story from 2000 that isn't anywhere as exciting as it sounds.. LOL
Iron Mountain Road.. Hwy 16A
Kevin and Pam at Mount Rushmore...
Crazy Horse...
My Kawasaki at Devils Tower...
A couple of pics from Spearfish Canyon... No more pics from the trip home as I wasn't feeling well.
Maybe next year...
