DAY 6 CRUDE, CRUD, AND MUD 5-25-14

Headed west for a while then turned north on 85 crossing the National Grasslands Park. This led to the North Dakota oil boom area. Glad we saw it don't need to ever go back. The area is permeated with the smell of crude oil, drilling rigs and pumps everywhere. The ranchers and farmers aren't doing either just making money leasing land to oil companies. Roadways are muddy and full of crude haulers and young oil field workers in big four wheel drive pick-ups. The unemployment rate is less than .3%.

Four dollars plus for a gallon of gas in sight of half a dozen functioning wells. However the twelve dollar burgers were pretty good. After our tour of the area headed for Route 2 the northern most US Highway.  ROUTE 2 LINK

Once in Montana quickly changed scenery from oil to the Missouri River and rolling green farms turned south to find a hotel and ended up back at I-94 same road we started on this morning. We aren't that far down the road if we had gone in a straight line but almost 400 miles later we spent dinner talking about what we had seen.

DAY 5 HIGHWAY 83

Left the hotel this morning headed north on Highway 83. Five hundred miles later stopped for the night in Bismark ND on highway 83.

There was actually a lot more to the day. We skirted bad weather watching several storms all around us, while crossing Nebraska, South Dakota and into North Dakota.Highway 83 follows the land up and down along the rolling hills of the prairie past grasslands, farms, cattle ranches and small towns. Stopped for lunch in a little dinner and I was listening to the owner talk to a table full of farmers about what kind of alfalfa they were planting this year. At one point we rode by real Nebraska cowboys on horseback rounding up cattle.

On a long and lonesome highway, east of Omaha
You can listen to the engine moanin' out it's one note song
You can think about the woman, or the girl you knew the night before
But your thoughts will soon be wandering, the way they always do
When you're riding sixteen hours and there's nothing there to do
And you don't feel much like riding, you just wish the trip was through

Bob Seger

The road just went on and on shirt sleeve weather with grasslands as far as the eye could see, the ride interrupted a few times by very short stints on the interstate. Other than the interstate you could count the bikes we saw with two fingers. I understand sometimes there is a need to hurry down the road to get to a destination but they are missing so much of what makes this country so incredible. A slower pace and our stops at small markets frequented by locals always leads to great conversation with both sides learning about the other.

My favorite way to ride when time allows is always the backstreets of the country.

Day 4 May 23, 2014 TWO LANE ROADS, CLOUDS, AND MENTAL HEALTH

Sunset is an angel weeping
Holding out a bloody sword
No matter how I squint I cannot
Make out what it's pointing toward
Sometimes you feel like you've lived too long
The days drip slowly on the page
And you catch yourself
Pacing the cage
Jimmy Buffett

It's day four and I feel like we are actually on our way. No longer pacing the cage but growing younger by the day.  Over 1000 miles into the ride and found ourselves in North Platte Nebraska for the night. Rain all around us but never on us, lots of two lane road very lightly traveled green rolling hills.

We were at about 6000 feet in the area they call the high plains a combination of rolling green hills agriculture and cattle. I know we are headed to Canada and appear to be heading east and north instead of straight north. Taking the long way to get anywhere is our favorite way to ride after all the The Journey Is The Destination.

Just put it in perspective if Little Red Riding Hood had taken the long way to grandma's house she would have missed the big bad wolf and her whole trip would have been better.

DAY 3 MAY 22, 2014 THE CHIROPRACTOR IS OFF LIMITS

Stayed in Pueblo a second day to see if JB's back would get any better. I went to the chiropractor with JB and can never go back again. When the assistant came out and called JB's name he slowly got up started walking to the door, turned, and said are you coming in with me honey. I can never go back there again! Nice hotel if you have to spend a second night, Harley dealer and Tex-Mex restaurant in walking distance.

Riding tomorrow hopefully with JB heading north.

DAY 2 MAY 21, 2014 THE LONG WAY TO PUEBLO

Scattered clouds temps in the low 60's and a nearly empty highway started our day. Rode the I-25 to Santa Fe, after a break decided that while the I-25 went straight to Pueblo with good road and high speed limits. This would put us in to Pueblo early with time to relax and visit with JB.

Turned off the interstate and spent the rest of the day on gorgeous  two lane roads through Taos and eventually to Pueblo.

Along the way followed the Rio Grande for several miles stopping for some pictures along the way.

Caught up with JB and he is plagued with a bad back and we are hoping some rest will allow him to ride.

The weather cooperated all day and never needed more than a long sleeve shirt to be comfortable. A good day.

DAY 1 MAY 20, 2014 THEY BLEW UP SOCORRO

Beautiful ride on US 60 across Arizona and into New Mexico. Looking around at the scrub cedar and oak it's hard to believe that we were above 7000 feet. Just after Pie Town NM we crossed the continental divide at 7800 feet. Once on the east side the scenery turned to pine trees and the road began to twist and turn with very little traffic. Soon we were back in high desert and driving through the Very Large Array.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_Large_Array

Finally arrived in Socorro tired from the day and looking forward to calling it quits with dinner and a trip to the Jacuzzi. This turned to why would all the motels in Socorro be full on a Tuesday night! Turns out SWAT teams from all over the country were staying in Socorro to blow things up in a anti-terrorist training.

Forty miles north on I-25 and we are at a nice Holiday Inn Express in Belen NM, and it is time to call it a night.

THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION

May 19^th  8:30 PM  Prelude

The bike is packed, full of gas, all ready to go. Looks like this year it will be Jan, Ken, CE, JB, Tim and me. I’m ready and it’s time to throw a leg over, start that big v-twin and head down some two lane roads. This the eighth three week or more motorcycle ride around this great country and I hope to do many more.

After one of these rides I’m always questioned about the places we have been and how much time we spent at different attractions. It can be difficult to explain that the trip is about the ride itself not the place we end up. Last year we took the long way to Acadia National Park on the coast of Maine. Travelers who had been there before asked what we saw and chastised me for missing certain key places in the park. We did loop through and walk to the top of Cadillac Mountain enjoying the view from the top of Bar Harbor.

What they are missing is the reason we ride, it’s to ride not just for transportation.  The people we met and places we rode along the way gave us an understanding of the country you only get on two wheels. An airplane flight to Portland Maine and a week in Acadia will not give you the insight and mental clarity that ten days riding will. This brings us back around to the underlying theme of all our rides The Journey is the Destination.

Ride safe,

Chuck