Vic Van 2013 To Badlands

[Dutchy]

Where's Kitty???

[BCmcrider]

Where's Kitty???

She's with Red.

[Lorne]

In his Day 3 post, Ian included a panorama. Here is an updated version, click to see it larger:

[BCmcrider]

In his Day 3 post, Ian included a panorama. Here is an updated version, click to see it larger:

Much appreciated Lorne, looks great.

Also note the trooper in the bottom right. Thankfully we were riding off to the right side, not the left.

Makes a great wallpaper spanning both monitors. 3600pixels wide if anyone wants a copy. Set to tile, it will span both monitors.

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/gallery/album_5296/gallery_17747_5296_194245.jpg

Edit: PM me if you want a full 3600 wide version as the album appears to be limited to 1600.

[Polarbear]

These pics are all great gentlemen. Sorry work (and a shortage of Gravol) prevents me from joining you on this adventure every year. Any calendar shots in there?? Just wondering.

C

[BCmcrider]

Day 6 Sturgis to Greybull KOA 364M 7:13H

.. on with the show.

Day 6 we woke up in the Rushmore KOA and having received better guidance (aka read the map), we knew what we did wrong the previous day when we tried to traverse Iron Mountain road and the Needles highway. With some fond farewells from the folks at KOA,

we were on the road up the hill past Rushmore, and down the other side to the entrance of Iron Mountain road which was a bit of a surprise, at least for me. When you first approach these things, you mind doesn't immediately comprehend what you're about to do and I failed to register for the first one that I should even stop for a picture till I was on top of it. This is the second corkscrew that I approached, only being a single whereas the first was a double, ie a full 720 degrees.

A short half hour of some of the sharpest corners we'd seen later, we were up and over Iron Mountain road and after a short run up Playhouse road, we hit the Needles highway. I can imagine getting stuck between the spires after falling off the top of one. They'd have to just cap that part with some air lifted concrete so your corpse wouldn't stink out the rest of the tourists.

One more dropped bike (at a standstill) later and we were off toward Devils tower. Gary has the video.

Heat was once again the theme of the day but didn't manage to dampen our explorations. Some precursors to Devil's Tower loomed along the roadside as if beckoning us to keep going.

And finally, in our sights. It must be cooler there right?

Still wondering why I brought my black non-mesh jacket.

I spent a lot of time thinking about which jacket I should bring as I'd brought the mesh the last two years and was, it seemed, cold most of the time. This year I couldn't decide till literally the moment I was getting ready to climb on the bike to leave for the trip. I decided I would try something different as a lot of the areas we were going to be traveling were at high altitude. In the end, I realize why I had such a tough time deciding, and that is that there is no correct answer, you actually need both. I suppose the mesh with an outer layer might be the best compromise, or just develop eel skin like V-fore and never get warm or cold while wearing vented leather, that is, until the great walk.

The great walk was inspired by an innocuous sign showing it to be only two km's around Devils Tower. V-Fore and I started out on the warm side so that we could, theoretically, finish in the shade.

Somehow, Gary's shadow looks like he's throwing a cup of water on his head. I guess even the shadows were uncomfortably hot.

The joke was on us as the shade from the tower never materialized, the sun being high enough that even the 1000 foot spire wasn't enough to cast a shadow. V-fore was picking chunks of meat out of his boots that had cooked off in the heat. At least he had a snack.

Kidding aside, we finished the walk and saddled up after a break in the shade and the A/C gift store that was about 297% RH and actually made you feel warmer somehow.

The iron in the hills always creates a surrealistic landscape.

Eboro glad to be back in the saddle.

Our lunch stop at an unknown location had a hidden surprise in the convenience store, a mini bar and cafeteria of sorts. Squamish and V-fore found the beer cooler and decided on the spot to live their lives out inside.

Gary and I had a brief conversation with the man who gave us a sample performance award for going 9mph over the limit. He seemed more interested in having someone to talk to than he was in writing tickets, letting us off with a warning.

Thus concluded another day, only a couple of hours riding to go.

[Switchblade]

I have got to get to the Badlands. Thanks for the reminder ....

[yycviffer]

Great pics guys and great write up. Hey BCmcrider, is that your seat propped up against the bike as you are visiting with the local constabulary? If so, who's is it and obviously its good for 8 hr days in the saddle right?

[BCmcrider]

Great pics guys and great write up. Hey BCmcrider, is that your seat propped up against the bike as you are visiting with the local constabulary? If so, who's is it and obviously its good for 8 hr days in the saddle right?

Yes, I have to take my gear off to get my seat off to get my insurance papers out.

The seat is redone by some unknown professional shop, I'm guessing, prior to my purchasing the bike so I can't give you much information on it. As far as 8 hours in the saddle, yes, but only with padded bike shorts and ... no seams. I honestly don't know if it would be better than the stock seat as I've never tried one.

[Cogswell]

Thank for the write up. It's getting me motivated to re-schedule a trip there. The last time I looked at riding to the Badlands, Mt Rushmore, etc, I realized it would be during Sturgis = not good. Looks like spectacular scenery.

[Squamishvfr]

It was a great trip. It really was. The outbound run was more slabish but the return run seemed to have some more variety with each day haveing at least one run on a "WOW that was cool" road.

Where to next year???? Anyone have suggestions??

[BCmcrider]

Day 7 Greybull to Ovando 494M 9:06H

Our day started a little different today, partly because we had woken up in a KOA Kamping Kabin after suffering someone snoring which we finally described as the sound of a VFR with no pipe being repeatedly pinned to redline and then released till it dropped back to about 4000rpm, all while stuck in first gear. I think the fingers were pointing but Eboro eventually took credit got blamed. Having been stormy the night before, the proprietor had convinced us there was a thunderstorm coming and so we'd taken him up on the deal on the Kamping Kabins. Can't exactly say I had a better sleep for it.

Eboro installs his trick tail bag for which he wood crafted a mounting system that would be the envy of Givi if he were to show it to them.

The next thing that started our day off was V-fore realizing that his bike wouldn't start. We bomb started it and tested the output which came in at about 18 volts. Thanks again to Squamish for the repair and loading photos.

Luckily and with great forethought, he had brought a spare regulator and, along with the pit crew, had it connected in a couple of minutes. I got the honor of putting the last screw in place

It didn't take long to see that his battery had been fried by the long ride the day before at 18+ volts and according to local sources, the closest battery was in Cody, a good hour away. Off we went, eventually ending up outside the service department (if you can call it that) at the Cody Wally world where we installed a replacement battery.

A short run later, we realized two things, one is that the last of the three gps's had failed, and two, we'd taken the wrong highway 15 miles out of town looking for Belfry Highway (120) toward Dead Indian Hill Road, before we found the first highway marker sign confirming our my wrong choice and that we were in fact on 14. We re-routed back through Cody and headed off to see some of the best scenery of the whole trip.

Thinking about this later, we realized that the voltage on V-fore's bike had likely damaged his two gps's. Mine died due to a loose ribbon cable inside vibrating out of it's connection. It was an easy fix but required a precision screwdriver set that I didn't have with me.

A short break for two between Chief Joseph and Beartooth.

Eboro Smith from the Matrix returns to his bike at the intersection of Cheif Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass Highway.

A brief discussion about the morning's ride, some refreshments, and we're off to Beartooth.

We were warned by a biker we met on the way East that Beartooth was in a bad state of repair for a long ways and that the mud was dangerous and we'd likely regret coming this way. Having seen poor advice in the past and also the odd nature of this fellow, we decided to forgo the advice and keep Beartooth in our route, it being one of the highlights of the trip. It wasn't long before we arrived at the dreaded construction zone.

The entire construction zone turned out to be about a 15 minute delay and was hard packed dirt, no mud to speak of. The following section of road was one of the best on the trip and the views were absolutely breathtaking, especially from the summit.

Somehow, after seeing that, we took a lot less pictures afterwards, I think it's kind of like damaging your ears at a rock concert, nothing else quite measures up.

On the final run of the day, we were motivated by a stretch of broken cloud pierced by the suns rays.

We ended the day holed up in Helena in a Super 8 in the dark, after a lengthy search around the city for a decent campground. None were to be had.

Bikes the next morning.

[V-FORE]

"Our day started a little different today, partly because we had woken up in a KOA Kamping Kabin after suffering someone snoring which we finally described as the sound of a VFR with no pipe being repeatedly pinned to redline and then released till it dropped back to about 4000rpm, all while stuck in first gear. I think the fingers were pointing but Eboro eventually took credit got blamed..."

It now makes sense to me....I was watching my dog having puppy dreams last night and now after reading this I have put 2 + 2 together and realize Eboro felt left out and was dreaming he was on a VFR wasn't that the day we traded????? Thanks for bringing a wonderful trip back to the forefront of my mind!!!

[Squamishvfr]

I'm anxious to hear what happens next with this story!!

[BCmcrider]

Day 8 Ovando to Othello 404M 7:36H

I guess I should finish this off. Anyone want more pics of our vacation?

We started day 8 which was supposed to begin at Ovando but actually started in Helena, some 74 miles short of our intended goal for the day before.

Soon enough we were on the road and made it to the Lolo super stop where we stocked up last year on the way to Lolo hot springs campground. This year, we obviously weren't about to stop overnight, having barely begun the day with 137 miles under our belt.

What's a trip down Lolo pass without a stop at the now famous winding road 99 miles sign?

Apparently, it's become popular enough for folks to plaster it with stickers etc, plus we had to wait our turn to take pics.

Nothing like risking your head and your camera to get that perfect shot.

99 miles later and after a short break at Orofino, we transitioned onto the Old Idaho 7 which snakes up and away from the Clearwater river with a set of sharp rising bends, cliff edge switchbacks, and perfect smooth pavement, seemingly designed just for us. Once on top of the bench, it levels out into some farmland before dropping back down through a small canyon to the berg of Juliaetta, then back to the highway via 3.

Eboro shows his appreciation of the curves and Squamish, once and for all, vanquished the Demon of Idaho 7 past.

Following this, we stuck to highway 12 along the snake river and associated hills which was a bit of a unique experience in itself. There's nothing like riding up over a hill crest, having the sun in your eyes, and descending, around a corner, into the shade with bugs on your shield.

Our day was supposed to go to approximately Othello but, as we discovered, Othello is essentially in the middle of b#@ F#@$ nowhere with respect to accommodations, so we turned North toward Moses Lake. Interesting part of the trip, not for the roads but for the variety of smells we enjoyed as we passed through different crops and fields. I have never smelled a mint field before but the smell was both refreshing, and unmistakeable, especially in contrast with the other fields, some of which appeared to be freshly fertilized and left you wanting less,, much less. Add in a few chicken barns, then some hay, and you have a cornucopia of smells to get you through the day.

We ended the day with a visit from the GMO dude in his Volvo.

[BCmcrider]

Day 9 Othello, Ellensburg, Leavenworth to Ferry 337M 6H

Starting the day in Moses lake, Ted shows off his custom tailbag mounting job once more while Gary admires the woodwork.

We had a bit of a jaunt down the freeway till we got to Ellensburg, then North on 97 to Leavenworth for lunch break after Eboro and Squamish enjoy a short break with the constabulary so they can remind Squamish that turn signals are not just recommended practice but in fact, required by law. Another warning, this time verbal only and we're off.

Squamish tries his hand at the local art scene in Leavenworth.

and is rewarded with a cup of Earl Grey Tea. I think he's trying to imitate Patrick Stewart with this one.

In Marysville, we stopped for a look around the Honda dealer and Squamish picked up a new set of tires. Strapped to our bikes, we headed to Gary's for a final goodbye.

As I headed off for the ferry, I realized that the time spent perusing the Honda dealer probably wasn't time well spent as I missed the ferry by 15 minutes and ended up waiting nearly 2 hours for the next one. As I was the first motorcycle in line for the next ferry, I was parked at the front and went inside for a drink and snack. I was a little surprised to return to my bike and find Eboro's bike parked next to mine as I thought he was headed up to North Vancouver. I'll never figure this one out.

Overall, an excellent trip that I would repeat in a heartbeat. The fears about too many miles were allayed and it looks like 370 miles per day average is just about perfect.

OK, where to next year?

BC

[2thdr]

LMAO several times...you guys definitely had another trip of a lifetime for many. Thanks for the report and photos...

[MaxSwell]

Great trip report, pics, and narrative. That pic of your four tents together tugged at my heart strings. I've done a lot of mc camping but none with friends. I NEED to do that sometime.

Thanks for sharing.

[Nas]

I know this is an old thread but I just read this report after meeting Gary yesterday on Hwy 20 in Washington, he mentioned this trip.

Awesome photos and a great write-up! Wow, what a trip!

What's the route for this year?

[BCmcrider]

Glad you enjoyed the trip report. Were just trying to figure that out. Any suggestions for a good nine day trip?

[Nas]

Glad you enjoyed the trip report. Were just trying to figure that out. Any suggestions for a good nine day trip?

Nope, not from me :) I haven't been anywhere beyond Washington yet!

What kind of distance do you guys like to cover on average per day?

[BCmcrider]

Glad you enjoyed the trip report. Were just trying to figure that out. Any suggestions for a good nine day trip?

Nope, not from me :) I haven't been anywhere beyond Washington yet!

What kind of distance do you guys like to cover on average per day?

Here is the trip summary from last fall.

Total Miles 1857(36H) + 1518(29H) = 3375Miles 65Hours 65/9 = 7.22 Hours(375Miles) / Day average.

This amount of travel seemed to work out about right. Any more and you can't stop for occasional breaks etc. Any less and there is too much beer time at the end of the day.

[Lorne]

BC, that seems a high average unless it includes a couple of long days where you are just putting in the miles. Especially so if you are camping.

A more realistic figure for a typical day with plenty backroad twisties and photo ops is closer to 250 mi/400 km. For my California trips the quicker I cross Washington & Oregon the better. That means the dreaded freeway -not much fun, just a means to an end.

[Nas]

BC, 7 hours of travel per days sounds pretty good! Not too relaxed and not too demanding. Yeah you right, you could do more but then you don't really have time to stop for a photo op or check out some landmark and so on.

[Switchblade]

375 wow that's ride in !!!