Deadwood, SD >> Sturgis, SD and surrounding area 620 miles ridden/23 hours Before heading into Sturgis and mingling with the crowds, I decided to explore the Black Hills. In one day I experienced some of the best riding and saw some of the best sights in America – the Crazy Horse Memorial, Needles Highway and… Continue reading Day 35-38: Sturgis, the greatest motorcycle rally in the world
Author: Geoffrey Kula
Day 33-34: Settling into Sturgis
Minot, ND >> Bismarck, ND >> Deadwood, SD 502 miles ridden/7.5 hours Got my new headlight installed today so I’m off to Sturgis tomorrow… I’m actually taking a break from my vacation! (Never thought I’d write those words.) I’ll get a new rear tire, oil and filters – fuel, air and oil – on my… Continue reading Day 33-34: Settling into Sturgis
Day 32: Welcome to America
Medicine Hat, AB >> Moose Jaw, SK >> Minot, ND 530 miles ridden/9 hours Although the Albertans I’d met in British Columbia warned me that riding across southern Alberta and Saskatchewan would be boring, I enjoyed traveling through what Americans would call “amber waves of grain.” This stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway appears to cleave… Continue reading Day 32: Welcome to America
Day 31: Clever Canadians
Golden, BC >> Medicine Hat, AB (via Crowsnest Pass/Routes 93 & 3) 435 miles ridden/8 hours Back on the road and it feels so good! At breakfast, I received another tip for my travels: Detour to Fernie, BC, and go to Freshie’s coffee shop on the downtown strip; say “Hi” to Kim or Liz and… Continue reading Day 31: Clever Canadians
Day 30: Life is Golden
Golden, BC 0 miles ridden (Explored town while waiting for parts) Random bike thoughts: Email: Everyone – Well, I had a feeling it would happen sooner or later: Either the bike or I would have a breakdown. I had just left Lake Louise yesterday when the bike konked out, and luckily, I was able to… Continue reading Day 30: Life is Golden
Day 29: Breakdown
Lake Louise, AB >> breakdown >> Golden, BC 20 miles/40 minutes (+75-mile tow to Golden, BC) Shortly after setting off this morning, the battery low charge light came on and I ignored it. Not the best decision, as the bike completely shut down halfway to Banff a few minutes later. While trying to diagnose the… Continue reading Day 29: Breakdown
Day 28: Jasper National Park
Mt. Robson Provincial Park, BC >> McBride, BC >> Jasper National Park, AB >> Lake Louise, AB 304 miles ridden/7 hours This morning’s oil check was almost bone dry, so I backtracked to McBride praying there’d be no catastrophic engine seizure along the way. While tending to my bike at the local Husky (a Canadian… Continue reading Day 28: Jasper National Park
Day 27: Dastardly detours
Kiskatinaw Provincial Park, BC >> Tumbler Ridge >> Chetwynd >> Prince George >> Mt. Robson Provincial Park 570 miles ridden/12 hours If there’s a hockey stick learning curve associated with this trip, today I hit the vertical section. For starters, I scoffed at a local trying to be helpful at a gas station in Tumbler… Continue reading Day 27: Dastardly detours
Day 26: You meet the nicest people on a Honda
Fort Nelson, BC >> Fort Liard, NWT >> Kiskatinaw Provincial Park, BC 720 miles ridden/10 hours Today is British Columbia Day, a provincial holiday! Completely unaware of this, instead of celebrating in BC, I visited the Northwest Territories, a mere 250-mile round trip detour off the Alaska Highway. But backtracking was worth it, as the… Continue reading Day 26: You meet the nicest people on a Honda
Day 25: The Second Rule of the Road
Watson Lake, YT >> Fort Nelson, BC 340 miles ridden/7 hours Well, it finally happened last night, and now that it has, I’m surprised it took this long: I broke the tent. I ignored one of my own rules: “Don’t take shortcuts” and am now paying the price. While shortcuts may work 80% of the… Continue reading Day 25: The Second Rule of the Road