Day 27

Well, I am on my way now.  I made it from the camp site outside (see the pic, quite a spot) of Yellowstone through the whole state of Wyoming 400+ miles to Sturgis, SD. As Jeff said, Rte 16 from Yellowstone's East Entrance to Cody, Wyoming does deserve to be on the list of best roads. I did not take what would have been a detour onto the Chief Joseph and Beartooth Highways.  I am sue they are great, next time.  There is another road near here through Spearfish Canyon that people are saying is a must ride but I probably will miss that as well.

The route took me through the Big Horn Mountain range with a pass at 9,200 feet.  I think that will be the end of the snow capped mountains for this trip. I was in'I need to make some miles mode' so there was no stopping.

Then I stopped at the Plum Berry (I think) Cafe in Worland, WY on the east side of town.  The food was excellent, I hada Santa Fe sandwich with steak.  While I was having lunch, I had a chance to speak with Karen.

It was then time for the 100 miles on I90, how boring is that.  I could have taken I-90 all the way into Sturgis but had time for the last detour before I hit the plains through the Black Hills.  The picture is somewhere in the Black Hills... (actually it was in Wyoming but only two mile from the border of South Dakota). I thought it might be fun to go to Rapid City to relieve the setting in North by Northwest but it was a bit out of my way.  besides, I can't think of a motorcycle scene in a Hitchcock movie.

Motorcycle riders will recognize the town of Sturgis, SD as there is a big ride in rally here every year during the first week of August.  It is clearly the big event of the year here as there are many permanent reminders of the rally like souvenir shops and the bars having Budweiser signs in the shapes of motorcycles, etc.

I really need a rear tire put on the bike as it is getting pretty worn down after 3,500 miles (the bike came with tires that are more dirt oriented than the kind of riding I have been doing).  One could argue if I can't find it in Sturgis, where will I find it.  There is a BMW, Suzuki, Yamaha dealer across the street from the hotel but I did not see a Kawasaki dealer around.  I may stop in there in the morning.

After that, the Northern Great Plains, here I come as David pointed out in a recent comment.



So one day he walked into town
Booked himself a room in the local saloon
Rocky Raccoon checked into his room
Only to find Gideon's Bible
-Lennon/McCartney