Well folks, it's getting cold here so I thought I would try to piece together a trip report. It won't be fancy, or told eloquently, and I'll probably forget a lot of it. I'll be doing it a little bit at a time so if you have any questions about the area in the pictures you see fire away and I'll try to do my best to remember and I'll ask Bud as well. I don't have Ernie and Colleen to fall back on to jog my memory, and I have to admit I lost more weight on this trip! I didn't have the most excellent meals that were fixed in Colleen's dutch oven. Speaking of Colleen and Ernie (Black and Blue) I had to apologize to Bud for often telling him, "we camped here, we stopped here for gas, bla, bla, bla!" Bud is a very patient friend to say the least!
Before the trip I serviced the little 650 V-Strom, put on new tires, chain and sprockets, brakes, and kept telling myself that I wasn't going to take as much "stuff" as I did last time. I didn't carry a set of tires with me this time as the Tourances would have made the entire trip, except for cutting a gash in the rear tire up in the Yukon, more on that later. The total mileage for the trip was just over 14,000 miles. I didn't ride it much this year except for the trip.
Let me give you one piece of advise, when you plan a trip like this make sure you plan extra rest days than what you think you will need. We thought we had it covered, but due to issues with the bikes, etc we ended up being about three days late meeting up with our friends in Sturgis for the rally. We seriously considered just blowing it off, but we told our friends we would meet them there and ride back and camp with them. We had a few days of riding all day, all night, and then the next day and it seemed the more we tried to make up time, the further we got behind.
I wanted to get to stop and visit with Mark while in Wyoming, and Pat while in Montana, but time just didn't work out. Sorry guys hopefully we can get together on another trip.
If you see gaps in the trip photos it's because it's raining and I didn't get the camera out, I have some of Bud's photos to use and a few from my cell phone. I'm also uploading as I go, and having to use Hughesnet it's painfully slow loading pictures to Photobucket.
Here we are packed and ready to leave.
First stop Kansas City KOA.
On to Goodland, KS KOA
Beaver Lake Campground, Custer, SD. Some idiot decided to sleep in his chair under the shelter as it was pouring rain by the time we set up. I woke up at 2:30 am took a scalding hot shower, walked out and realized it was in the lower 40's. That explains why I was so cold!
Did a little sight seeing along the way checking out some places I missed last time I was there.
Ended up staying at the Hot Springs KOA where I met a Motocampers member from Texas in the restroom. I can't for the life of me remember his name, he and his wife were riding his BMW touring bike. He said he mostly posts in the two up section. His wife was frightened by the snoring that came from our campsite! If you see this let me know who you are!
More sightseeing.
One of the last "original" parts of Deadwood.
Stayed a couple of days in Belle Fourche, SD at Wyatt's Hideaway. When we got there he wouldn't let us pitch a tent, told us that bad weather was moving in quickly. He said he would let us have a cabin for just $10.00 more than what he would charge us to tent camp, that's hard to beat. Considering we had hail the size of baseballs falling on us after the tornado warning was over the cabin was an excellent choice!
Checking air pressure and lubing chains before heading to see Devil's Tower.
Stay tuned, we'll head to Montana next...............
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We're ready. 
Originally Posted by Ironheadziggy76
