Motorcycle Trip Blog AccountsBlogging is still somewhat new to me, trying to figure out what format to use, how to get things so it makes for easy reading, and get the photo layout looking half way decent. Now that I started this Michael has started a blog also. I will link his blog site from my page when his is published. Eva said to me that I have just created a monster. Come on Steve your next what are you waiting for. This is my second blog and my hopes are on my 2010 motorcycle trip that I will try and sit down every night or two and make an entry of the day’s activities so everyone back home can log in and see our daily adventures RIDE ON.
After all the planning and hoping that the routes that I planned were going to be good, the day finally arrived. I’d spent the last few days trying to figure out what to bring, and what to leave behind, with the very limited storage space available to me. Though time would show that I often guess wrong in that regard, I was comfortable with my selections. My Wing was finally loaded up and ready to go, with a fresh set of tires, brakes, oil and filter change. I had all of my electronics: Cell Phone, IPod, Digital Camera, Video setup and a GPS. All my clothes crammed into my trunk mounted luggage bag, one saddle bag stored my rain gear, visor, tools, and maps. The other saddle bag stored my riding gear, leather jacket, chaps, hood, and gloves. On the back seat I stored my tent, sleeping bag, and air mattress. The night before our departure, my brother Michael arrived from Tennessee to my house. We got together for some pizza and cold beverages that evening. We were all on adrenalin rushes and excited to get going. We got up on Saturday morning and departed from my house.
6/19/09 Friday
Michael departed Tennessee to meet Steve and me at my house in Illinois for the start of our 2nd Annual Motorcycle Trip. Eva got home from work and Eva, Samantha, Michael, and I got together for some pizza and cold beverages that evening at Papa’s Pizza in Woodridge, Illinois. The food and service was wonderful like always. Thank you Sandy, Andrew, and the entire Papa’s staff.
6/20/09 SaturdayWe all departed from my house in Lockport, Illinois around 6:30 A.M and arrived at Sioux Falls, South Dakota KOA that evening. We set up camp and then went to dinner. We asked the KOA caretaker where there was a decent place to sit down for a good dinner. He gave us directions to place in town and we went to locate it. Finally after a little riding we found it. We walked into to the restaurant and knew that we were out of place and under dressed to say the least. We looked at the menu, and decided that we did not think that this was a place for us to eat. Just as we were getting ready to walk out a man came up and said come on in I will give you a free appetizer. We still decided not to eat there. So we checked with GPS Jill for another place to eat, followed her directions to a Ruby Tuesday only to find that it was no longer there. So once again we moved onto another place and finally were able to find a place and we got to sit down and eat. We got back to camp and was sitting around talking, when a lady from the motor home across the road from us came strolling over. She said that her and her husband made some Jiffy pop, and they would never be able to eat it all and wondered if we would like some. Michael said to her in a kidding way, sure you said to your husband that those bikers will probably eat anything. We thanked her and she went back to her motor home. We talked with the people in the camp on the one side of us some, but the people camping on the opposite side of us was not very friendly, I don’t recall them saying a word to us at all.
6/21/09 Sunday
Got up, departed Sioux Falls, South Dakota KOA and continued on our journey. We stopped in Wall, South Dakota just like probably every other traveler to see the "Worlds Famous" one and only Wall Drugs. We found a parking place and walked around there for a while. We then departed
Wall Drug, fueled up and got back on our journey. We decided to stop at Rapid City, South Dakota KAO for the night. This was the first time we decided to see if there was a cabin available. We got a cabin instead of a tent site. A monster had just been created. We unpacked the motorcycles, put up the tents to dry out from the previous night’s rain. I happened to check my phone and saw that I had a few voice mails. Come to find out Larry from work wife Sara had passed away from a long battle with cancer. My thoughts and prayers to Larry and his family also two other guys from work were injured in separate off duty accidents. Bob fell off of his roof and busted up his leg and Terry landed wrong when he went sky diving for his birthday and busted up both legs and ankles. My thoughts and prayers go out to them also for a speedy recovery.6/22/09 Monday
Got up, broke camp, donned our rain gear, departed Rapid City, South Dakota KOA and continued on our journey. Along the way we ran into construction traffic on the Interstate, the lanes merged into one lane each way in the east bound lanes. We were riding along, it was cold and damp and I was getting rain up my sleeve. So I was messing with my glove cuff trying to get it over my jacket sleeve. The next thing I knew was that my motorcycle died, I was trying to figure out what was wrong as I started to pull off on the side of the road where there was really no shoulder, Steve says you can’t stop here I replied that I have to because my motorcycle died. I ended up stopping on the muddy shoulder. Stupid me, I didn’t realize that I accidentally hit the kill switch with my thumb DA! Boy my bike is pretty muddy now from stopping in that mud. I guess you would have to of been there. We got back on the road and shortly after that the construction zone ended. We then stopped at the entrance ramp of the next exit to doff our rain gear. While getting out of our rain gear an SUV pulled up in front of us. Four occupants of the vehicle exited and hurried back to us, we did not know what was going on, the next thing we knew they were taking pictures of us like we were celebrities or someone of importance. One of them asked Michael if he would stand still so they could get a picture of the back of his shirt. We then talked for a couple of minutes and they explained that they were from Italy and came to the United States for a coast to coast vacation. They started in Florida and were on their way to Yellowstone before ending in San Francisco, California where they will depart to go back to Italy. We did not think to give them our contact information so we could see if we could possibility get copies of their photos. We then saddled up and continued our journey.
We spotted this pickup truck on a frontage road pulling a cattle trailer. He had a dog in that back of his truck and the dog was walking from side to side. We were on the interstate and could barely keep up with this pickup. I was amazed that the dog was able to stay on the toolbox without falling off. Soon we would be getting off the Interstate and heading over to Red Lodge, Montana via Big Horn Canyon. What an awesome road just like many others. We arrived at Red Lodge, Montana KOA that evening. Here is that monster again, we decided to get a cabin once again. Boy are we spoiling ourselves. We unpacked the motorcycles and went into Red Lodge for dinner. We ate at a neat little bar in town, the food and service was good. We then went back to camp. sat around the picnic table eating some nuts and had a couple of cold beverages while we chatted.
6/23/09 Tuesday
Got up, departed Red Lodge, Montana KOA and continued on our journey to "Bear Tooth Pass and Chief Joseph Highway". Wow Bear Tooth Pass and Chief Joseph Highway was another Awesome ride you would have to experience it yourself to really appreciate it.
I don’t think one really realizes how many wonderful roads there are. We continued on our journey through Cody, Wyoming and onto Gillette, Wyoming where we decided to get a hotel for the night. We checked into a hotel and went to dinner at Pokey’s Smoke House in Gillette. We left the restaurant and were sitting at the stop light in the turn lane, behind a police car, wondering if I was going to get stopped because I had a headlight out. We were probably about four cars back from the intersection and the light had just turned yellow; the next thing I heard was a loud exhaust, It was coming from a pickup truck speeding upon my right and went right through the traffic light probably not realizing that there was a squad car sitting in the turn lane. The next thing I knew was here goes the squad after that pickup truck. I guess that solves my problem wondering if I am going to get stopped.6/24/09 Wednesday
Got up, departed from Gillette, Wyoming and continued on our journey. We rode to Devils Tower, Spearfish, Spearfish Canyon, Deadwood, Sturgis, the Honda dealer for a head light bulb, and then onto Rapid City, South Dakota KOA. We stopped at Devils Tower and walked around.
Have you ever heard the term stop and smell the flowers, Michael took in one step further, he stopped and smelled the tree? 
Look a Moose - obviously that guy was from the city and does not know what Bullwinkle looks like. We made it to the KOA campground but this time we had to pitch tents since there were no cabins available. I attempted to change my highlight bulb with the assistance of Michael and believe me it was a PAIN. We then went to dinner at the Golden Corral and we saw the Geico Caveman having dinner there also. We finished our dinner and then went to Wal-Mart to get some water and fruit for the next day’s ride and happen to see Elvis at Wal-Mart. This must be the trip for celebrities being on vacation too. Finally we got back to the KOA campground, started some laundry, and had some cold beverages while sitting in the hot tub until it was lights out.
6/25/09 Thursday
Got up, had breakfast at the campground and departed for a day trip to Badlands National Park,
Continued on to Keystone, South Dakota stopped for lunch at an Old Fashion Soda Shop and scene a group of ladies from the Red Hat Society.We then continued on to Custard State Park,
Needles Highway, and Iron Mountain Highway, and then back to the KOA campground.
We went out to dinner at T.G.I. Friday’s in Rapid City. We then returned to the KOA campground for the evening, we enjoyed the pool and hot tub while having a cold beverage.6/26/09 Friday
Got up, packed the motorcycles and departed Rapid City, South Dakota KOA and continued on our journey. We arrived in Albert Lea, Minnesota KOA for the evening. We unpacked the motorcycles and Steve and I was sitting there waiting on Michael so we could go to dinner. The next thing I knew was my cell phone was ringing, I looked at it and it was Michael calling, I thought for a minute and could not figure out what he was doing. So I answer it and he said to me hey, I am in the bathroom and there is no toilet paper. Can you go to the front office and get some. I laughed and said I would so when I went to the office and told the girl that we need paper in the men's room she said that she would get someone to take care of it. I said you don’t understand my brother is in there and needs it now. She handed me a roll that was the size of a spare tire. I walked into the bathroom and said loudly is someone in need of toilet paper. Michael finally showed up at the cabin, we saddled up and went into town for dinner at the Green Mill Restaurant and Brewery. The food and service was very good. We returned to the KOA campground and had some cold beverages and chatted before calling it a night. There was a storm that rolled in that night. We would not stay at this KOA again.
6/27/09 Saturday
Got up, packed the motorcycles and departed Albert Lea, Minnesota KOA in between storms and continued on our journey. We were fortunate enough to have the storm to our backs for the remainder of our trip. We arrived at my house in Lockport that afternoon. Michael wanted to stop and get an Italian beef sandwich so we stopped at Fat Ricky’s in Romeoville. We got to my house unpacked the motorcycles and later that evening we went out to Papa’s Pizza in Woodridge for dinner and some cold beverages.
6/28/09 Sunday
Got up, Michael packed his motorcycle and departed for Calhoun, Tennessee. He got to Champagne, Illinois and his motorcycle started making noise he thought that he blew a rod. He pulled over and then realized what had happened.
He then continued now on his LOUD journey. He arrived home that evening. This AWESOME trip has now come to an end. Now we can only reminisce and start planning for 2010.
Ride Safe
