WolfHead Rally

[michael]

This morning I mount my trusty steed and start rolling toward the Great Lakes. There I will join the tour around Lake Superior and stay for the rally on the weekend.

http://www.wolfsheadrally.com/circletour/index.html

I am leaving the small town on Crescent City on the northern coast of Calif and will ride up to Portland today. From there I will continue up the Columbia River and turn north to find Hwy 2 across the top end of the states.

I will try to find a cyber cafe or connections along the way to let you know how my travels are going.

Michael
1980 GS850G

[focus frenzy]

now THATS a road trip!!!!
be carefull!

[michael]

Idaho looking good

Here I sit sipping a Mocha in Sandpoint Idaho at a local cyber cafe. How cool is this.

Little cooler riding today. The is good considering all the gear I am wearing.

A big wind came up last night, pretty noisy cruising thru the trees in the campground.

The wind makes for ruff riding too. Good curvy roads, but the wind gust throws off your timeing.

Almost found out how far my reserve tank could last. Gas is a little further apart in Western Washington. whew!!!


About another 40 miles to Bonners Ferry, then I turn a hard right and head due East for Glacier Park.

I should make that easy for a night stay there.

A lot more wheat field up here than I thought. Looks beautiful with the wind blowing across it.

A few other bikes on the road, but mostly got the roads to myself.

You all take care, and I'll catch ya next stop.

Mike

[Anonymous]

very cool Mike.. the call of the open road.. you're inspiring me to take Friday off, fill up the 550 and go explore the Sierras...

Enjoy the ride, take pictures !


Tim
2002 Concours
1978 GS550 Dyna 3, 4-1, Pod Filters, Iron Butt survivor, sitting impatiently in the garage waiting to be ridden to far off lands....

[Anonymous]

My husband and his dad did the entire perimeter of the United States in 1990 and he said the most beautiful part is the part that you are traveling now. The pictures from Glacier Bay and Montana were unbelievable. I am sure you will enjoy yourself. Hope the weather holds out for you. Enjoy and be safe.

Charlo

[michael]

The view from Montana

There is road thru the Glacier National Park called Highway to the Sun. It goes from the bottom the glacier carved valley to a point around 6000 ft up. this is such an incredible ride, each corner leaves you breathless with the view that open up. A person could go thru a lot of film capturing it all. I took a few to bring back, but it give no idea of the grandness of these peaks.

I camped in this same park last night, woke up to temps in the mid 30's, but was warm enough in the sleeping bag. Just chilly heading out until I dropped back down onto the plains.

I am at my stopping point for today. Malta Montana. I located the local library for this foray on the net.

Roads are clear, and wide open. Great riding. A few points of road maintenance, but spaced enough to give me a break.

The wind has been at my back, and my bike loves that.

There is a small city park here that allows camping. Not much in amenities, but I don't need much either.

I think I'll try boiling up a pot of spaghetti for dinner, that sounds good to me.

You all take care now,

From the wild west country of Montana,
Mike

[twhite]

Have good ride Mike....and keep the stories coming.

[michael]

From Minnisota

I am in a town south of Duluth today. I needed to mount a new back tire for the trip out. Does that give you some idea of how many miles I'm burning up. Right now I am just 200 miles shy of 4000 miles since I left on the 6th. And another 2K to go. And I am STILL LOVING THIS!!!

I completed the lake tour yesterday afternoon. All in my riding group made it without any major problems. My GS850 kept up with the bigger Harley's. Grin...

Weather proved to be a bit of a challenge. Some thunderstorms hit us on day 3 and 4 so we got pretty soaked, but enough time to dry out before getting slammed again.

I will be resting up a couple of days before headed back west on Sunday. The rally in Two Harbors is going on now, great music, more great short rides, and lots and lots of new riding friends from several states. Long distance riders are a unique blend of folk, and a great group to hang with.

Keeping the shiny side up,
From Minnisota,

Mike

[michael]

returning west

I am in Mitchell SD right now. On the way home. I spent last night in Minn, MN with my wife's grandmother. Nice lady, but I think I scared her when I showed up in my leathers and riding geat. (She was expecting me, but forgot how tall I was. smile)

Today has been good riding weather, but right now is is starting to rain, so I had to find a place to wait out the passing, (I hope) storm. I'd like to get another couple hours down the road before I camp for the night. Not going to get all the way to Rapid City as I hoped.

Tomorrow I'll ride thru Sturgis just so I can say I did.

The week-end rally was great fun. I entered in many of the rodeo events, and even placed in a few. I took first place in the sand drag, and second in the barrel races. Not as easy as it looks as it takes place in the horse area with very soft sand to ride in. NOT at all easy to do on a big GS850. LOL



From along the road to the west via I-90,
Mike

[michael]

Notes from the road

I ended up setting up camp in Murdo, SD last night just before dark. That was a 100 miles or so East of Rapid City.

I left there good and early today and rode to Sturgis. OMG what a city. Motorcycle mecca getting ready for the high holy days of August. All the businesses in town are ready with tons and tons of cycle and ralley related goodies. I HAD to spend more time there than just a quick drive thru. I even had a cold one in the local main street tavern.

From there I rode up to Deadwood, and took a scenic alternate route thru the Black Hills, and route that takes you thru Spearfish Canyon. Beautiful twisties, and great views of the canyon walls as you drive along.

Once into Wyoming the temps are shooting up. In the 90's and I am having trouble diving in this heat. I need more rests, and more water. I will have to drive later into the cooler evenings, and make sure I get more milage in the mornings before the temps rise again. The forcast shows more 90 and maybe 100 degree weather crossing Idaho and Western Washington.

I am going to take a route across Wyoming that will take me through Cody and into Yellowstone Park.

I may not make it all the was to Cody this evening, but will get fairly close.

Right now I am in Buffalo Wyoming, and will start driving off west as soon as I finish here.

Later,
Mike

[michael]

The word from Idaho

That word would be Potato, but for me, it is HOT!!!

I got the early start I wanted this morning. Left Greybul WY around 6 AM. That helped put down some miles before it got hot.

I drove through Yellowstone park. I didn't remember it being so beautiful, but I've never ridden through it on a bike. Smile. The early start helped there as well, by time I was leaving the park, the traffic was getting heavy. So maybe a word to the bikers, ride early and hit the roads before the RV and gawkers clog it up. It is well worth a cycle ride across.

It is on the Interstate in Idaho that I am again hitting the high temps. Drink and Drive is the word to survive today. (As long as you stick to the H2O.

I am staying pretty much on schedule now, and should still be back home Friday evening.

Sweating with the Oldies in Idaho,
Mike

[michael]

On the Oregon Trail

I got an early start out of Idaho this morning and beat the heat as I made it past Boise by 9.

The mountain passes between Ontario and here in Pendleton have been more comfortable. This should remain the case as I travel along the Columbia to Portland.

Mike

[michael]

Portland stop over

I made it to my cousin's place in Portland.
but not without some other major hurtle on my trip.

Traveling along the Columbia river in the high cross winds and headwinds, I felt the bike getting pretty squirrly. I wasn't sure if it was the wind, but as I slowed down it got worse. When I pulled to the side and checked things out, I found a nail in my rear tire, and loosing air quickly. As it was on the side of the busy Interstate, I didn't want to work on it there, so I pulled out my air pump and filled it up enough to dive to the the next exit. Fortunately, that was less than 1/2 mile. There was also a service station there with a few automotive items in their mini-store, and they just happened to have a patch kit I could use on my tire. It was then just a matter of plugging the hole, fill the tire back up, and I was off again. Didn't even have to take the tire off the bike to fix it.

Tomorrow I make the final run to Crescent City. I will probably start off on I-5 then slide to the coast when it heat up too much.

I hope you've enjoying my running blog as I trek across the land. I'll report again when I get home.

Mike

[Anonymous]

Mike,

The journal you have created of your travels have been a pleasure to read.
I have often dreamed of doing something similar, but don't know if I will ever follow through.

Get home safe! We're waiting for your report 8)

[crag antler]

Thank you Mike for the traveling log. It's been neat to follow your course on a map.
A incentive for us all to go out there and put more miles on our classic GS'es 8) 8) 8)