The Great White North Liberation Army on the Move Again

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yamafitter

Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
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My usual partner for these forays into parts south was not able to make this trip therefore the Great White North Liberation Army invasion fleet turned into one rider (me), a Toyota Highlander pulling a trailer and two bikes. Bike #1 was my WR450F for recon of the banjo playing areas of West Virginia and Bike #2 was my FJR for flanking maneuvers around the Yankee hordes heading out to Spearfish SD.

On my arrival at Pipestem State Park I found that I was in need of a translator. I was ordering a sub for lunch when I arrived on Thursday and the girl at the counter asked me if I wanted mayonnaise or something else that I had no idea. She repeated the second choice three times and it just got less clear at WTF she was trying to convey. I went with the mayonnaise.

Some of the gang had arrived a day early and were out on a ride so I got checked in and moved my gear down to the lodge at the bottom of the canyon and then came back up. I came across Pam (Tom's wife) and we chatted for a while and I stole some of Tom's beer. Then El Toro Joe rolled in so I went over and chatted up Joe. Joe was keeping too close an eye on his cooler so I had to open up the Forty Creek.

The group lead by Jim finally made it back and the party got rolling. I've already posted up info on the FODS rides from Friday and Saturday over on the FODS thread and you can read it starting about here.,,

2015 FODS @ Pipestem

The video of Tom's water crossing is compelling TV.

On Sunday morning I packed up my gear and put the WR450 back in the trailer. We then headed up to the main lodge for breakfast with Tom & Pam plus Mike's wife. A couple of the boys on the Teneres had headed out for one last ride but I needed to start heading west to Spearfish. After breakfast and saying my goodbyes to those that were left around I headed up I-64.

Along the way just past Lexington I noted a sign for Buffalo Trace Distillery. My supply of Forty Creek was a little dented from the last few days so I figured a stop was in order....

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Not much had changed from the last time I was there during the EOM at Cumberland Falls. The buffalo still had not moved....

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I checked to see if there was any of the golden nectar in this barrel but it was not to be...

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I know there is some of the good stuff over in this building....

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Since I had done the tour back at EOM I was on a mission to just grab a bottle and a few trinkets and be on my way....

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I stopped in Evansville, Indiana that night and got treated to a great lightshow as a big thunderstorm rolled through around midnight. The next day was just more slab over to Kansas City, MO where I made an early stop so that I can tour the Harley Plant here in the morning before making the final push onto Spearfish.

-to be continued-

 
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Hopefully the rain stays away unlike your ride down for the SEOR! Safe travels to you and we will see you Thursday.

*scratch that first sentence. You are driving...let it rain up there!*

 
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High winds on the plains yesterday caused major gas mileage suckage even with the hybrid so I drafted this NASCAR hauler and it helped somewhat...

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Made it my planned destination near the Harley plant in Kansas City, MO. For a second I thought Stanley was waiting for me when I saw the trike....

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But then I realized Stanley being a cheap Irishman would never part with the cash for a Hondapotamus trike....

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Later on I walked across the street to the sports bar for some dinner....

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I ordered the wings with an Asian Zing sauce that was very tasty and the Newcastle Brown Ale did a nice job of washing the wings down.

The Women's FIFA tourney was on the big screen with USA playing Columbia so the crowd was into the game....

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If football (or as you Yanks call it soccer) was not your thing there was plenty of other choices to watch.

Next morning I headed over to the plant. The sign on the door cracks me up...

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The Steel Toe Tour was already sold out so I had a settle for the free tour which was a bit of a disappointment. There was a Harley Combat Vet convention in Kansas City and the good tours were booked solid.

I then started north and am parked for the night in Micthell, SD. Going to check out the Corn Palace tomorrow morning and then stop in at Stugis before making it to Spearfish tomorrow.

-to be continued-

 
After a nice steak dinner washed down with a Pile of Dirt Porter from the Crow Creek Brewery located in Spearfish, I took a short drive over to the Corn Palace here in Mitchell, SD....

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I had another tourist take my photo with the town mascot...

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No doubt about it,we are in farm country.....

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Walking into the auditorium there was a selection of all things corn....

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This almost made me homesick with the snow.....

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They also had sauces to put on the corn....

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They also had some Indian pottery for sale that was not trash like the rest of the junk on sale....

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With that out of the way I can now focus on getting back on the road in the morning.

-to be continued-

 
Yo Hoser, just keep it coming eh! Don't let this RR become lame ass, you don't want Fred on your case! JSNS, Wicked Beauty eh!

 
For the last day and a half all I saw was grasslands but finally the view changed....

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Finally a hill as we closed in on the badlands. We pulled off the at Stugis to pick up some parts I needed and to get a Stugis Yamaha shirt. They had a nice vintage bike on display at the Stugis BMW / Yamaha shop....

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A few more miles up the road and we arrived at Spearfish. The skies were looking a little foreboding....

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I had to get an oil change done on my tow vehicle and I timed it perfectly as the vehicle was in the shop when the hail started....

https://vimeo.com/131728908

By the time the oil change was done the town roads were completed flooded.....

https://vimeo.com/131729000

Thsi all occurred within a fifteen minute time frame. Soon the sun was out and by the time I got back to the Bell Motor Lodge some of the others had arrived such as our Aussie contingent from the Sunshine Coast....

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Along with PEIFJR, John, the white beard guy and his wife.

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After telling enough lies for a while we went down to the Palace for dinner. I had a Philly Cheese Steak and a Cold Creek IPA....

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FJRay and Patti had arrived on the Hondaptamus and came to dinner with us.

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The sun has now set and things are winding down a bit. Tomorrow we head south towards Needles and other fun stuff.

-to be continued-

 
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Nice RR Bill. I always like the fact that you don't just ride (or drive; ya puss) to where you are going. You actually make an adventure out of it. What a' ya, single, or somethin? Who has this much time on their hands??

 
Thanks Bill, where the hell is Carver?
He is putt-putting his way here. Given his pace I think he is riding a 50cc Vespa. He is close by in Wyoming and should arrive tomorrow. Check out the Spotwalla Group page.

Nice RR Bill. I always like the fact that you don't just ride (or drive; ya puss) to where you are going. You actually make an adventure out of it. What a' ya, single, or somethin? Who has this much time on their hands??
You should retire like me. I can recommend it highly. I also had the good sense to stay single so when the mood strikes, I strike out for parts unknown.

I forgot to add a few shots from the dessert stop....

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Now Ray, do you really need ice cream....

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Hey Don Stanley, if you can make it here by tomorrow somebody might Scoop It Forward for you....

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Good stuff Billy. Those guys at the Sturgis Yamaha are pretty good. I had them service my bike on the way home from NAFO 2012. Oil and filter, tires and a thorough inspection of the swing arm.(remeber I was run into by another bike arriving in Castlegar) They did good work and didn't hurt the wallet too bad.

 
Good stuff Billy. Those guys at the Sturgis Yamaha are pretty good. I had them service my bike on the way home from NAFO 2012. Oil and filter, tires and a thorough inspection of the swing arm.(remeber I was run into by another bike arriving in Castlegar) They did good work and didn't hurt the wallet too bad.
...not like Swampfox Motorsports???

Oh...great RR so far Bill

 
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Once we got rolling going north on US 85 we were getting away from the earlier rain and then turned on Hwy 212 to go over to the town of Alzada. The road was long and straight and Kevin & I upped the pace to put the miles in. On the far side of town was the Stoneville Saloon.....

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We were there a little too early and the saloon was not open for us to meet the Tiger Lady so we took a few more photos and headed south....

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Part way down to Hulett the skies darkened considerably and we stopped to put on the rain gear. It was not long after that we got into the rain but fortunately we missed the hail that some of the other riders coming up from the south had run into. It was raining fairly heavily so we stopped at a small cafe in Hulett for coffee and see if the rain would pass. I took this pie shot for Neihart....

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By the time we finished coffee the rains had stopped and we took a short run over to the Devil's Tower....

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The line up to go into the park was too long so we backtracked to Hulett and then stopped in at the General Store in Addadin....

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The store had some interesting items....

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Upstairs was pretty eclectic....

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After the stop we head south and the circled around coming back down the canyon returning to Spearfish after a roughly 300 mile loop.

-to be continued-

 
When we got back to the Bell Motor Lodge a lot of the usual suspects were present.

Neihart & Don Carver....

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Petey in the middle...

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Petey brought the Honda since the FJR is still in the shop....

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FJRay and Patti....

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Some interloper....

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Some of the PNW crowd (George on the left)....

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SacMike was doing weird shit to his bike again. Those Kali folks are out there....

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Allen C and his crowd from the Indiana area were the last to roll in tonight...

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Tomorrow the Mount Rushmore / Needles Hwy loop.

 
I like Allen C. He's a good guy. Me thinks I might've enjoyed being in the middle of that crowd. Too far for me but, One day!... One Day! :)

 
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I like Allen C. He's a good guy. Me thinks I might've enjoyed being in the middle of that crowd. Too far for me but, One day!... One Day!
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Vic! You just gotta do it! You don't get a second chance at life! Ya gotta make to the black hills. Lots of great stuff to see and do.

 
^^^^^^^^

+1 Vic. I understand that being from Florida you have never seen a hill before and it might be scary at first but the riding out here is just about perfect.

Here a route for you which Kevin (Abercrombie FJR) & I rode yesterday over to Devil's Tower....

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Just a shade under 300 miles which makes for a nice day ride.

 
Good stuff, Bill. Wish we coulda made it out there.

Devil's Tower isn't too far (relatively speaking) from my uncle's place - he has ~ 300 acres a bit outside of Sundance.

 
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