What a trip! Excuse us if we get some days mixed up. This is a Pockets & Mouse project below. It will be hard to explain if you weren’t there to understand what was happening to/at/from the Nat’l 2009. The pics tell some of the story. On our way to we rode the interstate highways most of the way & seen acres & acres of corn fields along with much construction through VA, WV, KY, OH, IN, IL, IO. That’s a lot of states! Usually when we stopped for gas & butt breaks we met very nice folks to have a chat with. A few times we were looking for shade as the “feels like” temps were 117 we were informed. Now that’s hot! We also seen a storm approaching & were lucky enough to take off at a exit that had a open car wash bay we could sit in while the storms blew by. Good cookin at the restaurant walking distance. Also Pockets old “Pack Mule” ’89 FLH stock Evo motor tripped 100K. Only burned one quart oil & needed a toggle switch to replace the broken start switch the whole trip. Pretty impressive for older bikes these days.
The five of us 2Speed, Taz, Simpleman, Pockets & myself decided to ride through the Badlands before going into
Rapid City . What a sight! The pics don’t come close to showing how huge they really are. Beautiful landscape from many years under the sea I think we were informed. Stopped at Wall Drug town we had been reading signs about for the last 400 miles or so & some went shopping. The coffee was a nickel a cup. What a deal.
Finally made it to Irish & JJ’s they were ready for us to camp at they’re place the next two days. Irish had been making cakes for our arrival J What a sweet gal she is. Did the home group eating meeting & the Chapter 9 folks were mostly all there to meet. Simpleman & Pockets also received anniversary chips at the meeting. Then went for butterscotch ice cream, yummy! What a way to celebrate.
Chapter Seven was in later that night & the next day. Chapter three came along in spurts also. All smiles & I was happy to see them all. Yeah June Bug! Lil’Lady, Wolf, ChiWolf. It’s been a long time.
The
Black Hills are beautiful. We even brought some black dirt home to display in a bottle. Our dirt is red in color here in NC. The camp ground was just past
Mount Rushmore up on the hill in the rear….LOL…. Also a beautiful place. Lots of big rocks everywhere as seen in the pics. Most everyone who was there saddled up for the Friday ride in
Custer
Park where the buffalo really do roam in the roads & the dear & the antelope play. We seen a golden eagle, prairie dogs, wild turkey, wild donkey. The buffalo bull in the road was sorta annoyed from the sounds of the bikes or the mini van coming the other direction inching his way through making him move. I learned by watching you don’t try to make a buffalo move you just wait patiently. And no I did not hear a moo but did hear a yell when the bull jumped at Dakota Red & Wild Monkey as they passed by! After that we all had to stop for a break & gather for a relieving laugh or two. That evening we went to JJ’s favorite health food place “Sugar Shack”. All the ribs you can eat or very large & juicy hamburgers. The landscape was breath taking on the way out but the temps fell about 20 degrees! Everyone scrambled for extra jackets to wear. It was all just like JJ has reported in the past.
We do believe Chapter Twelve made it in on Friday night along with Hard Luck. Not in time to eat with most of us. Sorry Hard Luck you missed some delicious eats at the rib joint! It was totally a great experience to meet you all for the first time & super great to see Tiny again. It has been way too long.
The next day was the other side of
Custer
Park with the pigtail bridges & switchbacks. Pretty awesome birch trees, more wild life, lots of tunnels fun ride! The only complaint came from Pockets wanting to take the ride all over again. This also was the Needles Highway where we climbed to the top of those big ass rocks as Pockets calls them. We had a few moments of remembrance of our fallin Brothers up on those rocks. Yes the Needles is a truly special place. Saturday our SBU meeting went well. Irish received the Directors choice award & JJ got the Chapter choice award from chp.9. Both deserving. That night Happy & JJ did a bunch or cooking for us all. Good food & lots of laughs! What a fellowship we have with SBU.
Fire side fellowshipping continued later that night before having to make ready for our departure on Sunday. Some of us met at the breakfast tent for the award winning pancakes. Some folks I was not able to hug before leaving too.
Pockets, Wild Monkey & myself headed out taking the southern route through Wind Caves State Park where we ran through another herd of buffalo. This time there was not any on the road & still not mooing. Seen a waterfall & other wild life, very pretty. Headed out the
US highways in NE seeing the great plains, then the sand dunes which we hear blew in from WO years ago. That road didn’t have a dozen cars on it all day long. Hence the target practice with the .38 when we dismounted to check out the sand. Yeppers it’s the same type as on the beaches at the coast! We traveled & stopped when we wanted. Stopped & ate steak in KS we think. Seen lots of wheat fields, grain & trains. Coming out of Missouri we went across the Mississippi river on an old steel girder bridge took a right and were crossing another steel girder bridge which was the
Ohio river . We could see both rivers meet. The Ohio a bluish green the
Mississippi muddy. Awesome sight, this was seeing
America at it’s best. We met a lot of good people taking the back roads. Were able to shake the hands & chat with a few of our military men too. We think that’s the real
America .
We grudgingly hit HWY 40 on the east side of
Nashville to make it home with one more 400 mile day to go. Traveled a total of 3993 miles used $550.00 gas in 13 days. Mouse ended up with a broken fog light the entire trip. We took 388 pics. Our own Whiner also took on the job as master photographer with some wonderful memories she will be putting out soon. This National, the ride there & back was a trip worth the wait that should not be missed. Many, many thanks to all who helped make this happen. Most importantly everyone made it there & home safe. We hope some other members share because we know we have left a bunch out.
As ever we are glad to be a part of SBU!
Cruise 2009
2009 Mt Rushmore SD
