Sturgis 2021 or Bust
Yep, BUST! Self and Bike….
Campsite at Indian Creek Campground in Deer Lodge Mt.
I wasn’t planning on riding to the Sturgis Rally this year, or any other year during the rally for that matter. After attending the 75th anniversary, I just didn’t have the desire to return during trailer week, er bike week.
Well, things fell into place financially as well as work, so at the last minute I decided to meet up with some friends out there. I just took a new job, one that will allow me more time to pursue my business more, and yet pay me the same as the job I just left, and be closer to home. So after accepting this position, and giving notice at my previous employer, this gave me the time to meet up with friends in Sturgis, S.D. and ride home together.
My buddies were already there, so it would be a nice solo ride for me going out to South Dakota from Washington state, and a nice ride home with close friends. Only I had an issue! If you look back at my Jeep post, I was pulling a rear axle housing, when I broke my wrist/ hand in multiple places. Well that was only 4 weeks ago, and not fully recovered. Let’s test out the wrist! I rode to work for a few days, nothing hurt any more or less, so what the hell, let's ride!
I had no camping gear any longer, as we prefer the hotel over a tent, so I jumped on Amazon, and ordered up a new tent, sleeping bag, air mattress and a few other items I needed for the trip (see Reviews). The bike already had a fresh oil change on all 3 cases after I had to replace my stator a month and half ago, with little riding after my wrist incident. Checked tire pressure, brake fluid, adjusted the final drive belt, tested out a couple gear setups. Alright, we’re set!
Now, those who know me, and have ridden with me know, I don’t like to stop when I am on a mission. This mission was to haul ass to Sturgis to meet up with everyone. 1400 miles, I can do it in a day, I have before. Yes, but not all busted up! I planned out my fuel stops, and decided to make a reservation at a campground in Deer Lodge, MT for $25 that night. I didn’t want to push my hand and wrist that much and do any permanent damage, 700 miles on day one was good enough, then finish the run into Buffalo Chip on Sunday.
Saturday morning, I woke up at 0430, bike already packed up and ready, I wanted to be out the door and on the road by 0500. Well shit, already running behind, I left my house around 0545, and had to stop at my daughters house to pick up the last 2 supplies that went to her place rather than mine. Shit, that puts me behind even more. Oh well, I can make up the time.
I jumped out on the hwy, and locked the throttle in about 70 mph until I got onto I90 eastbound, at which point locked in around 90-95 mph. This speed did not really change until, well, it didn’t change until I got home really. Riding through Washington was uneventful, got into Northern Idaho, helmet came off and the roads went to shit. No worries, it’s less than an hour of shitty roads before dropping down into Montana.
About 150 miles into Montana, I started thinking about the ride. I am feeling pretty good, mentally, I feel awesome, physically I feel fine. I have about 25 miles to the campground, or I can continue on as far as possible. It’s only $25 to pass on the spot and ride on. Or, I’m just a little over half way, I can be in Sturgis for lunch tomorrow. Fuck, I’ll stop here! Don’t know what kind of accommodations are open up ahead, or how much would be. A “normal” road trip, I would chance it, but due to bike week, I didn’t want to take that gamble. So I stopped in Deer Lodge, fueled up the bike, grabbed a bike to eat, and figured I just put on 700 miles in just 8 hrs, hell yes, I can still do it! After lunch, I got checked in and set up the tent in this campground (see review). It was hot as hell inside the tent, even with the windows open, a slight breeze outside felt good, it just didn’t make it into the tent. I fell asleep around 1830 hrs, naked, on top of my sleeping bag in a puddle of sweat. About 0130 sunday morning, I was freezing my ass off at 42 degrees. Once IN the sleeping bag, I warmed up pretty quick, nice bag I grabbed pretty inexpensive too. By 0230, I had decided my hand was hurting pretty bad was swollen pretty good too. By 0430, I was showered, dressed, bike packed up and on the road out of town.
I just installed a new LED headlight last week, so this will be a great test run for it. I haven’t run a stock Harley headlight bulb in 10 years. I used to run the Silver Star Ultra halogen bulbs because they were nice and bright, but would blow them out about once per month with daily riding. And the heat they put out…… Hell, so you know that was a good drain on the charging system. Then I switched over to the LED replacement bulb, Holy Shit!!! Night and day difference. I didn’t think I would deviate from that setup. I always figured, if that bulb died, I can find a replacement anywhere on the road, even a factory style halogen at a truck stop, and get back on the road. But after my buddy bought this LED replacement, I had to try it out. Not looking back, I LOVE this light after dark riding!!! I will have a review on this light coming soon.
So being on the road this early does have it’s disadvantages, nobody is open for food, of course watching for critters out here, and a bit chilly out. But the open road with no traffic sure made up for it! As I approached Missoula, I couldn’t take it, I was getting hungry, I saw the Cracker Barrel sign, we don’t have any near home, so I will stop for chow. Well, maybe not, they don’t open for a few more hours. Back on the road! About 5 miles down the road, it started raining, then thunderstorms.
I forgot to change out my air cleaner lid before leaving, so my 360 open was on. This allowed water intrusion into the intake while riding, and the bike did not like that. She was trying to die on me before rolling into St. Regis Montana, but kept pushing on. When we left St. Regis after gas, she seemed to run fine and smooth, but didn’t have the power going up and over the mountain pass. She progressively lost power the whole way home. I also lost the rear brakes coming down the pass. I usually use the front more than anything, but it is my right wrist and hand that got broken and was hurting, so I had to rely more on the foot brake, than the hand. Fuck it, who needs to stop, I just wanted to get home by this point.
The rain lasted til Kellogg Idaho, about 150 miles, but then cleared up. By the time I stopped for gas again on the west side of Spokane, I was freezing, but drying out, sort of. After gassing up, I threw long johns on, then jumped back on the bike thinking eastern Washington would be warm and dry. WRONG! I hit more rain, enough to get wet and cold, then it would stop. About the time I got dry again, it would rain, and it played the game with me all the way over the Cascade Mtns.
The closer to home I got, the worse the traffic got. I5 was a mess, as usual, but, on a bike, there really isn’t much for traffic, so I just scooted along. But as I got closer to home, my speed dropped, my adrenaline was lessening and my pain level was increasing. Oh yeah, I forgot, that was the reason for coming home early!
I approached and took the exit to get into Shelton, let off the throttle, start downshifting, start applying the rear brake - oh shit, that’s right, it doesn’t do anything. Reach up for the front brake, oh shit, yep, that hurts! But it will hurt less than crashing, so pull hard, drop more gears and slow this bitch down. I took it pretty easy rolling through town, not to creep up anyone’s ass, so I didn’t have to grab brakes quickly. As I roll onto my street, I see my garage door wide open, wtf? Oh yeah, the wife got one of those tracker units in case I had a problem on the road, she could call in to my location. That was nice, I could just roll right into the shop, which I did. Dropped my chaps and jacket on the floor, kissed my wife and dog, cleaned up and passed out on the couch by 1430 hrs!
This tracker is ACCURATE!! Yep, that was my camp spot.
It was one hell of a ride, physically mentally and mechanically. As of the writing of this post, I still have not checked out the bike to see what’s wrong, but I can’t wait to do it again. Bonneville Speed Week is going on in Utah, I should ride down there!!!! Maybe next year?
