Monday, July 16, 2012
Via Motos
YO friends!
Boy and I are freshly returned and recovered from a ten day motorcycle trip. It was fun and interesting and hot and dirty and refreshing all at the same time. Despite both our histories of decades of enthusiastic motorcycling, this was one of the first times either of us had done any kind of long distance thing and needless to say I was a little apprehensive even though the trip was half my idea. Turns out I can't wait to do it again!
Just the highlights, as I am a terribly irresponsible vacation photographer.
Here we are, bright and early and ready to roll:
First stop, Kadoka, SD and the Minuteman Missile National Historic site (thank you internet for this interesting and seemingly unknown-to-most National Park Service attraction. Totally worth the visit.)
Then a quick run for my very first visit to :
Boy has climbed Devils Tower twice, so it was fun getting his first hand narrative while watching the climbers on the rock that day.
Then another blast to overnight in Gillette, WY, and the best BBQ I've had maybe ever, Pokey's. We have a policy that once we're checked into a hotel and off the bikes, we're off for the day, so getting to this place involved a two mile walk each way. It was hot, and Boy was NOT into it but I'm pretty sure the cold beer and great BBQ won him over. Again, totally worth it and a great, accidental find.
Day three, a long haul through what is the middle of nowhere, AKA south from Gillette into Colorado. It's the most nothing I've ever experienced. Not even a bush or blade of tall grass to pee behind in an emergency for hundreds of miles. And hotter than blazes. Like the hottest I have ever been ever in my 20+ year history of motorcycles and leather and asphalt.
Day four, twisty mountain road joy down to southern Colorado and a few days to hang out, talk smart, play and sightsee with more motorized vehicles and friends:
Did I mention the cooking and eating? Of that there was plenty, as is the custom with this crowd. Old crew favorites and a couple of fantastic new additions, plus my first attempt at high altitude baking. Thanks and credit to Carol for the food shots. I was too busy drooling.
And back at home in MN, here's what Pupcake got up to for the 4th:
Boy and I are freshly returned and recovered from a ten day motorcycle trip. It was fun and interesting and hot and dirty and refreshing all at the same time. Despite both our histories of decades of enthusiastic motorcycling, this was one of the first times either of us had done any kind of long distance thing and needless to say I was a little apprehensive even though the trip was half my idea. Turns out I can't wait to do it again!
Just the highlights, as I am a terribly irresponsible vacation photographer.
Here we are, bright and early and ready to roll:
First stop, Kadoka, SD and the Minuteman Missile National Historic site (thank you internet for this interesting and seemingly unknown-to-most National Park Service attraction. Totally worth the visit.)
Then a quick run for my very first visit to :
Boy has climbed Devils Tower twice, so it was fun getting his first hand narrative while watching the climbers on the rock that day.
Then another blast to overnight in Gillette, WY, and the best BBQ I've had maybe ever, Pokey's. We have a policy that once we're checked into a hotel and off the bikes, we're off for the day, so getting to this place involved a two mile walk each way. It was hot, and Boy was NOT into it but I'm pretty sure the cold beer and great BBQ won him over. Again, totally worth it and a great, accidental find.
Day three, a long haul through what is the middle of nowhere, AKA south from Gillette into Colorado. It's the most nothing I've ever experienced. Not even a bush or blade of tall grass to pee behind in an emergency for hundreds of miles. And hotter than blazes. Like the hottest I have ever been ever in my 20+ year history of motorcycles and leather and asphalt.
Day four, twisty mountain road joy down to southern Colorado and a few days to hang out, talk smart, play and sightsee with more motorized vehicles and friends:
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| custom aged, hand cut strip and ribeyes, thanks Tom! |
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| how about that for a meaty pile of awesome after a day in the dirt? |
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| because nothing goes with fun on bikes like splatgirl cookies. |
And back at home in MN, here's what Pupcake got up to for the 4th:
I'm pretty sure he didnt' want to come home.
I took exactly no photos on the road back to MN. I can report, however, that there is a lot of really tall corn in Nebraska, and the feed lots are just as stinky and disgusting as you'd expect them to be. Other than that, just some more serious hot and whole lotta nothingness. Unrecorded highlights include seeing several of the big windfarm wind generators being transported. Those blades are really, really long, and watching the truck hauling one of them negotiate a turn at a small town intersection was cool and hair-raising.
Also notable from the trip is my new discovery of the awesomeness of music and podcasts while riding.
For some dumb reason I hadn't investigated the whole music-in-the-helmet thing since, like, cassette tape days, but I glommed on to the idea as part of my pre-trip prep, and am I ever glad. I ended up getting a pair of inexpensive "noise isolating" headphones, which basically work like musical earplugs. Very possibly the best $25 I have spent on motorcycling, ever. Having TED talks and Splendid Table and all of my favorite music and streaming radio to listen to while hammering down those straight, flat and bleak miles made the experience 100x better.
And here we are home, just in time for bean and cucumber insanity from the garden!
