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48 States- Leg 2

Sunday, 6/28

This was a lazy day. Did not break camp this morning, planning on a day ride and returning to Fort Steele this afternoon. Tomorrow (6/29) is Million Mile Monday and I plan a long day for that. For all the HOG members on the forum, do not forget to logon tomorrow and post your mileage.

This morning I rode to Radium Hot Springs, about 120 km north of Fort Steele. The community turned out to be rather touristy, and really not worth the ride. The scenery however, was pretty decent. The Rocky Mountains are on the right, busting out of the level valley floor. There is no gentle transition, it is valley, then it is mountains. On the left, another mountain range (I believe the Brooks Range) closes in until there is only a mile or two between them. This happened back in the last ice age when the glaciers were doing their thing. The result is a pretty flat and straight (hence the poor ride) valley hemmed in between the two ranges. This area is called the Columbia Trench. Very beautiful to look at, lousy to ride.

At the start of the trench, is Columbia Lake, the headwaters of the Columbia River. View points along the way provide some beautiful views of the lake.
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As you get into the trench, there is one section on the right where the face of the mountain has fallen away, erosion perhaps?
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The rivers scattered throughout this part of British Columbia are meandering multi-channel rivers. The type to set a fisherman’s mouth watering.
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This is in Radium Hot Springs. Like most of the area, it is flat, with the Rockies on the east just jumping out of the valley floor.
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I was looking for a post office as part of my ABC’s. What I found every time was a red post office deposit box, no building that we would think of as a post office. Different cultures I guess.
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Wherever you go on this road (CN 95), you are presented views like this.
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I guess the scenery makes up for the poor riding. It is pretty, and should be seen, just don’t expect a normal mountain ride.

After I returned to Fort Steele, I headed down the small road that runs past the campground. The Bull River runs through this valley, and is as pretty a stream as I have seen. I’m a sucker for these multi-channel rivers, they really get my blood pumping.
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I will be taking the road along the Bull River out to CN 3 tomorrow morning on my way east. This bare topped mountain caught my eye while I was out there this afternoon.
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That’s about it for today. Have a couple more cold ones, call it an early night (however, it is light until 2230 or 2300 here right now) and get a good start on a long run tomorrow. Here’s to all of you that wish you were here.
 
Thanks for taking the time to post all the great photos. I sure have enjoyed your trip so far. Looking forward to seeing some more of this great country through your lens. Keep 'em coming.
 
Monday 6/29

Well, here I am in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. My contribution for Million Mile Monday was 554 miles. I’m whipped, I fought the wind all day. I feel like I have had a wind off my port bow (left-front for all of you non-nautical types) since this trip started. Today was the worst yet.

I left Fort Steele, BC @ 0640 this morning. Full leathers again, temp hovering around 40. As I rode with the Rockies on my left, and the Bull River on my right, I hardly felt the cold. This is a gorgeous road. I stopped to watch the sun rise over the Rockies.
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I made it almost to the Hwy 3 bridge where I turn east. I had to stop and look at this awesome river one more time.
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I stopped in Fernie for breakfast at Mickey D’s. I think this qualifies as a small mountain town.
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I stumbled on this monster truck as I came around a bend in Sparwood, BC. This is a coal mining area, and the mining association had it on display at their information center.
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Then it was goodbye to British Columbia and hello to Alberta as I crossed over Crowsnest Pass. Pretty little mountain lake right beside the highway as you come down out of the pass.
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In the rolling hills of Alberta after you get out of the mountains, there are literally hundreds of windmill generators. I liked the solitude of this one, a sentry for travelers.
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The further east you go, the flatter it gets. When I told a local yesterday afternoon that I was heading east today, he said, “Why do you want to do that?, it’s flat out there.” :D
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Wheat and hay seem to be the major crops of the area. Everywhere, farmers were cutting hay or irrigating their wheat. Next I crossed into Saskatchewan.
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Did I mention it was flat?
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Passed this guy as I rode down the highway. Seems like HD’s can pass them even when they are brand new. :bigsmiley24:
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Every other truck you see seems strange. It takes a few minutes to realize that they just have too many axels. A vendor in Hamilton, Ontario told me that it was to spread out the weight so that they did not tear up the roads during the spring thaw. I have seen some with as many as eleven axels with duals, and several dual trailer hookups that were dual 53 foot trailers. That is long by anybodies standards, except maybe for the Australian Road Trains.
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I don’t think any of you have been introduced to my mascot. Meet Mr. Happy.
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And that my friends, is a wrap. :cheers
 
Tuesday 6/30
Slept until 0700 this morning, did it feel good after fighting all that wind yesterday. I need to be careful, I could get to like this.

Left Moose Jaw (love that name) @0900, continuing east on Trans Canada 1, heading towards Regina. The countryside here is just as flat as it was on the other side.
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.
When something is this flat, the road looks like it goes on forever.
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About the most exciting thing I saw was an oil well.
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Around noontime, I actually saw a line of hills off in the distance, not in my path though.
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After Regina, I angled southeast and finally crossed into Manitoba.
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Western Manitoba is as flat as Saskatchewan, this is really getting boring.
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I turned south and about 1430 crossed back into the United States. Boy does it feel good to be home. Our customs inspectors are thorough if nothing else. They looked through all of my bags and packs. Guess the Harley and black leather sends a signal to them.
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No disrespect meant to our Canadian members, but I am an American through and through, and I always choke up when I get Back on American soil. I’m sure you feel the same way when you are going the other direction. It’s part of what defines us.

I was now heading south in North Dakota, Funny, the landscape looks the same.
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Picked up a North Dakota county and then headed for Minot, ND to locate a campground and shutdown for the night. It's been fun, but I'm looking forward to getting to the Black Hills for some hilly, forested, mountain roads.

Goodnight all.
 
Wednesday, 7/1

Slept really good last night, probably the best so far on the trip. Woke up at 0530 and broke camp. Was ready to ride by 0630. I headed south out of Minot, not much change in the terrain. Did see some more windmills. At least they break up the skyline.
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I always wanted to try one of those riding pictures where you see the riders shadow. Tried it, need more work.
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I think I’ve said this before, but it sure is flat.
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I crossed over Lake Sakakawea this morning. Largest man-made lake in the country. The spillway area is very pretty, note the rose quartz in the rip rap along the sides. The tailrace area is also easy on the eyes.
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Started getting some hills and variety in the landscape as I got to southern ND.
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Ran into this jewel on ND 49, north of Elgin, ND. Love the sentiment.
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Picked up the post office in Elgin, ND, then it was a straight shot to the SD border.
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Caught this guy in Bison, SD, on Hwy 20.
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The terrain is pretty hilly by now, providing some curves also. The temp is good and the riding is enjoyable. This was one of the few intact and operating windmills I have seen on the trip.
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Crossed the Moreau River on SD 73, as pretty a prairie stream as you are going to find.
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Just outside of Faith, SD, where SD 73 runs into US 212, I finally saw a good use for cages.
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Faith, SD is a little nothing town, except for the fact that they claim to be the T-Rex capital of the world. They also have a neat sign on the edge of town.
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The whole purpose of being out in this desolate area was to capture Ziebach County for my ABC’s.
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Then it was a dash for Sturgis. I thought I could skirt the storm to the north. For once I was right, caught a few sprinkles is all.
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For those interested in the raw side of the Sturgis Rally, these are all located on Hwy 34 east of town. Inside the city limits, things are pretty sedate.
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Made it to the Sturgis HD in time to get a new back tire. Unfortunately, they do not have a service shop. Apparently, they are strictly a clothing outlet for Black Hills HD in Rapid City. Talked to the folks in Rapid City, they said bring the bike in at 0630 tomorrow, and we will try to have you out by 1700. No thanks.
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Settled in at the Days End Campground in Sturgis for a couple of nights. Going to ride the Black Hills tomorrow, then hightail it for Loveland, CO, to see my sister and to get that tire at Thunder Mountain HD. Think I’ll walk downtown for dinner and a drink.
 
Jake while you in Loveland ,if you have time you might want to take a ride on 40 through Berthold pass and visit Buffalo Bills grave.
 
Jake - I've just trailer my bike to Upstate NY (Syracuse are) from Florida. I'm looking forward to ride some beautiful roads with hills, valleys and great scenery like you are. Very much enjoying your tale. Great reading!! hjt
 
Jake
I am enjoying reading about your adventure! What a nice trip you are having. My wife and I are also on our summer ride and right now not as successful as you are. We left Charlotte, NC 8 days ago and rode with some friends to the western part of NC and eastern Tn. While there we were able to ride the Cherohala Skyway and slayed the Tail Of The Dragon and rode many miles on the Blueridge Parkway. On Monday we departed with our friends and headed northeast through Virginia, W. Virginia, Pa., New York and finally arrived in Bennington, Vt. We have ridden in more rain than I can ever remember. One day it rained all day long and today looks like we may stay in the same place for 2 nights. It's the wettest spring since record keeping here and we get to have a break and watch it rain some more. We hope to make our next trip west and may have to keep your route and try it. Keep posting and ride safe. Pray for us that the rain will soon STOP.
 
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