The Awesome, the Good, the Bad and phew there was no UGLY

[murphybrown]

Hello all and a great evening it is...I had a longer day than planned but I am in the motel instead of camping alongside a road ...ok here is the rest of the story..

Yesterday I had a great ride on 85N..from NE to SD...heading up 85N I see sign that says Spearfish Canyon...so took off on that side road...absolutely GORGEOUS...no shoulders on road so couldn't stop to get a pic of the forest, stream, falls...curves...soooo verrrry nice. When I got to the end of road there was this really nice golf course but it was literally packed with people swarming all over it...curiosity got the best of me, so stopped and asked 'Is that golf course always that busy?'..Nope it was State High School Championship time...ahhhh Good Luck Kids!! Stayed on 85N...stopped for night at Bowden SD....got out atlas and changed my plans for heading to Glacier...not enough time as I want to visit daughter and fam in CDA, ID and then my granddaughter has her Championship Softball game on Sat...so change direction...find this great road 12W...takes me into MT and I target Helena for my night's stop. Great farm country, beautiful ryding...absolutely NO traffic...I mean in 200+ miles I see 4 cars, 2 pickups and 1 tractor!! Cool thing is they all wave. Gas stations are few and far between so if I get to 1/2 tank when I see a station I stop. Stop and fuel up at town...couple hundred miles to Helena...doing great. About 25 miles out of town come upon this new pickup just poking along...I figure new truck, break in period! I wave as I pass them....in another 5-8 miles hit serious road construction so I slow way down, hate that gravel so I am going about 10-12 mph...pickup catches up to me I wave them on by...he slows down, she says do you need help..I say no just hate this gravel...she said you know you BLEW a Tire on trailer. I said NO...in a few yards I see safe place to pull off....get off Studly and holy crap..my right trailer tire is shredded ...I look up and they wave and drive off.....I'm thinking so much for their help....but what the heck I've got awesome roadside service..."Can you Hear Me Now?" Heck no, NO SERVICE...are you kidding me....There is not a farm house or vehicle anywhere to be seen. So a Good thing is that when I bought the trailer I said please add a spare tire (does not come with)....so it is in the bottom of trailer so I start unpacking....see this older farm truck, pulling an older horse trailer (I'm thinking my kind of rancher!!!). Step out wave her down. Great lady hauling her just purchased 30 pullets in cages in trailer. She's says in colorful language..&^$#*(^% you got serious flat tire...I respond "you think" and we both start laughing. She's says "hell, I can change a tire...how about you...I said yep only problem I got the tire, but no jack or tire iron (note to karyl...add to your trailer SOON)...she's says...hmmm thinking that big a$$ jack I got in back is to big...I said do you have a cell phone..sure her's works (AT&T..verizon CAN YOU HEAR ME KNOW!!!). Get roadside they are trying to find me on their satellite....another car stops...man says heck this tin can car probably has just the size jack you need....sure enough...he does and in nothing flat he has tire changed. I start packing trailer back up and he says...I work for Mayflower and I think I can pack that better and quicker....I said you are on....Man oh Man that was like Awesome and Good....shoot oh dear I can get more stuff in the trailer!!! Yep I need me a Mayflower man..

So I say many thanks what can I give up...they both took a hug and said pay it forward...

Go another 5 miles and come to "follow pilot car stop". Pilot car lady says...oh oh realllly bad road/rocks ahead....your trailer is way to low...but she gives me a detour route. Thank God I had just gassed up....it was an AWESOME ryde on a road I still can't find on a map...she said don't stop you will eventually have to go right or left. Go right. Yep gas light comes on...and there is the T..32 miles to nearest town...sure hope they have gas....I have been searching for ranch houses, barns, life other than cows!!! NONE...next town has TOWN PUMP...I love MT and Town Pump...they are everywhere...

So all is good and there was no UGLY....that would have been me making camp along side of the road waiting for a human to appear...

So tomorrow I go to tire shop to see if they have that size...ain't going nowhere without a spare..then to buy a small jack and tire iron....and look for Starbuck's...been to long without espresso...McD coffee just ain't cutting it anymore!!!

Sure hope your day was not as exciting as mine..

Have a great evening..

me

[retirednick]

Great story and glad that there was no forced camping. Enjoy the rest of the experience.

[sddinnh]

Ya gotta love the "unplanned" adventures that happen on the road and the people they bring you into contact with - Truly an American Adventure story

[cyclelover63]

You are a great story teller..You just can't make that stuff up!..

[Jim&Teresa]

Hello all and a great evening it is...I had a longer day than planned but I am in the motel instead of camping alongside a road ...ok here is the rest of the story..

Yesterday I had a great ride on 85N..from NE to SD...heading up 85N I see sign that says Spearfish Canyon...so took off on that side road...absolutely GORGEOUS...no shoulders on road so couldn't stop to get a pic of the forest, stream, falls...curves...soooo verrrry nice. When I got to the end of road there was this really nice golf course but it was literally packed with people swarming all over it...curiosity got the best of me, so stopped and asked 'Is that golf course always that busy?'..Nope it was State High School Championship time...ahhhh Good Luck Kids!! Stayed on 85N...stopped for night at Bowden SD....got out atlas and changed my plans for heading to Glacier...not enough time as I want to visit daughter and fam in CDA, ID and then my granddaughter has her Championship Softball game on Sat...so change direction...find this great road 12W...takes me into MT and I target Helena for my night's stop. Great farm country, beautiful ryding...absolutely NO traffic...I mean in 200+ miles I see 4 cars, 2 pickups and 1 tractor!! Cool thing is they all wave. Gas stations are few and far between so if I get to 1/2 tank when I see a station I stop. Stop and fuel up at town...couple hundred miles to Helena...doing great. About 25 miles out of town come upon this new pickup just poking along...I figure new truck, break in period! I wave as I pass them....in another 5-8 miles hit serious road construction so I slow way down, hate that gravel so I am going about 10-12 mph...pickup catches up to me I wave them on by...he slows down, she says do you need help..I say no just hate this gravel...she said you know you BLEW a Tire on trailer. I said NO...in a few yards I see safe place to pull off....get off Studly and holy crap..my right trailer tire is shredded ...I look up and they wave and drive off.....I'm thinking so much for their help....but what the heck I've got awesome roadside service..."Can you Hear Me Now?" Heck no, NO SERVICE...are you kidding me....There is not a farm house or vehicle anywhere to be seen. So a Good thing is that when I bought the trailer I said please add a spare tire (does not come with)....so it is in the bottom of trailer so I start unpacking....see this older farm truck, pulling an older horse trailer (I'm thinking my kind of rancher!!!). Step out wave her down. Great lady hauling her just purchased 30 pullets in cages in trailer. She's says in colorful language..&^$#*(^% you got serious flat tire...I respond "you think" and we both start laughing. She's says "hell, I can change a tire...how about you...I said yep only problem I got the tire, but no jack or tire iron (note to karyl...add to your trailer SOON)...she's says...hmmm thinking that big a$$ jack I got in back is to big...I said do you have a cell phone..sure her's works (AT&T..verizon CAN YOU HEAR ME KNOW!!!). Get roadside they are trying to find me on their satellite....another car stops...man says heck this tin can car probably has just the size jack you need....sure enough...he does and in nothing flat he has tire changed. I start packing trailer back up and he says...I work for Mayflower and I think I can pack that better and quicker....I said you are on....Man oh Man that was like Awesome and Good....shoot oh dear I can get more stuff in the trailer!!! Yep I need me a Mayflower man..

So I say many thanks what can I give up...they both took a hug and said pay it forward...

Go another 5 miles and come to "follow pilot car stop". Pilot car lady says...oh oh realllly bad road/rocks ahead....your trailer is way to low...but she gives me a detour route. Thank God I had just gassed up....it was an AWESOME ryde on a road I still can't find on a map...she said don't stop you will eventually have to go right or left. Go right. Yep gas light comes on...and there is the T..32 miles to nearest town...sure hope they have gas....I have been searching for ranch houses, barns, life other than cows!!! NONE...next town has TOWN PUMP...I love MT and Town Pump...they are everywhere...

So all is good and there was no UGLY....that would have been me making camp along side of the road waiting for a human to appear...

So tomorrow I go to tire shop to see if they have that size...ain't going nowhere without a spare..then to buy a small jack and tire iron....and look for Starbuck's...been to long without espresso...McD coffee just ain't cutting it anymore!!!

Sure hope your day was not as exciting as mine..

Have a great evening..

me

Good recap and story We ryde in the Black Hills often as we have family in Rapid City. Spearfish Canyon is a beautiful area.....glad you got to see it. Did you get to Sturgis? It's not much other than at rally time. Good luck with your travels!!

[SteveMac]

Wow. Great planning on the spare!
Thankfully the flat was not on the Spyder.
Praise The Lord!

[Jim&Teresa]

IF you have time and are still in the Black Hills area.....you can go towards Custer State Park (east side) and just before you go to the "pay booth" to Custer State Park, there is a road called Iron Mountain Road ( also known as US-16A). It is just a beautiful ryde for motorcycles and goes towards Mount Rushmore with several one way tunnels. Actually the tunnels "frame" Mount Rushmore in the far background. This road also splits twice into one way traffic through the trees and scenery. Great ryde if you get a chance!!

Be safe and have a great trip!

Other photo's of this area can be seen at: https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...d+south+dakota


Here's some personal photo's (more in my album in my profile):

[Daisyjoe]

WOW!!! Glad you're OK. ☼☼☼

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Karyl, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry to here this news, soooooooooooooooooooooooo glad you solved the problem........Now about the JACK THING........When you get the chance go to an auto junk yard and get either of these.....they are both light weight and small and inexpensive.......#1 a scissor type jack from a small compact type car----they are light ( usually alumin alloy ) and small----make sure they also give you the crank handle to twist the jack mechanism with.........or # 2 a jack from a Toyt Tacoma Pk-up ( I have one ) it's a vertical rise type that is self extending ...it's also small and light and get the the twist handle with this also....................Either one shouldn't cost more than $ 5 to $10...................................Also think about mounting the TIRE on the bottom of the lid of the trailer so it's accessible with the jack.......................Mike, Dee Max, & Kiki

[murphybrown]

IF you have time and are still in the Black Hills area.....you can go towards Custer State Park (east side) and just before you go to the "pay booth" to Custer State Park, there is a road called Iron Mountain Road ( also known as US-16A). It is just a beautiful ryde for motorcycles and goes towards Mount Rushmore with several one way tunnels. Actually the tunnels "frame" Mount Rushmore in the far background. This road also splits twice into one way traffic through the trees and scenery. Great ryde if you get a chance!!

Be safe and have a great trip!

I will be there in August...going to Sturgis rally...but staying in Custer so I can tour the area....this trip was just passing through a small portion of Black Hills....thanks for the great suggestion...putting on my must do list.

Thanks so much. Will do all this in August when I go back for Sturgis Rally and staying in Custer for week.

[Chupaca]

you do know how to travel and you have a traveling angel with you. Big sky country for a reason...thats all there is. Beautiful and loved the short time I lived there and would have stayed if summer would have stayed with me... Hope your next leg is exciting in a good way..be safe...!!

[murphybrown]

Karyl, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry to here this news, soooooooooooooooooooooooo glad you solved the problem........Now about the JACK THING........When you get the chance go to an auto junk yard and get either of these.....they are both light weight and small and inexpensive.......#1 a scissor type jack from a small compact type car----they are light ( usually alumin alloy ) and small----make sure they also give you the crank handle to twist the jack mechanism with.........or # 2 a jack from a Toyt Tacoma Pk-up ( I have one ) it's a vertical rise type that is self extending ...it's also small and light and get the the twist handle with this also....................Either one shouldn't cost more than $ 5 to $10...................................Also think about mounting the tie on the bottom of the lid of the trailer so it's accessible with the jack.......................Mike, Dee Max, & Kiki

Yep the fellow that helped me was driving a KIA...explain your "mounting the tie ....." what tie? I don't wear ties...bow, string or otherwise...

[ARtraveler]

We were thinking about you when we were in SD a little over a week ago. Wondering if our paths were going to cross.

You sure handle situations well. Not sure I would have been as cool, calm, and collected.

We are hoping your travels continue to contain lots of enjoyment, but not as much adventure as you have encountered.

You rock!

[ARtraveler]

IF you have time and are still in the Black Hills area.....you can go towards Custer State Park (east side) and just before you go to the "pay booth" to Custer State Park, there is a road called Iron Mountain Road ( also known as US-16A). It is just a beautiful ryde for motorcycles and goes towards Mount Rushmore with several one way tunnels. Actually the tunnels "frame" Mount Rushmore in the far background. This road also splits twice into one way traffic through the trees and scenery. Great ryde if you get a chance!!

Be safe and have a great trip!

Thanks for posting the beautiful pictures. We were there a little over a week ago. It snowed and was a bit icy and treacherous. Did not stop for pictures--but you covered that very well. Needles highway was closed due to ice, but we came back the next day.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Yep the fellow that helped me was driving a KIA...explain your "mounting the tie ....." what tie? I don't wear ties...bow, string or otherwise...

" TIRE "......Sorry it's late , mea culpa, mea culpa etc................Mike

[Bob Denman]

Some of the "BESTEST" stories; grow out of the "worstest" situations...
So glad to hear that this was only a real close-call!

[spyder3]

You are amazing.

[PrairieSpyder]

. . .

You sure handle situations well. Not sure I would have been as cool, calm, and collected.

We are hoping your travels continue to contain lots of enjoyment, but not as much adventure as you have encountered.

You rock!

Me either!! I'd have been beside myself.

Amen to that, brother!!

[OJ UK]

A stunning tale, Karyl! Thank you so much for sharing.

Oh! I "Me too-ed" it in error but punctures on the rear of the Spyder
are one of the few things that concern me when I go on a trip.

[sddinnh]

A stunning tale, Karyl! Thank you so much for sharing.

Oh! I "Me too-ed" it in error but punctures on the rear of the Spyder
are one of the few things that concern me when I go on a trip.

I always carry a compressor and a tire plug kit (left over habit from my BMW days). It won't fix a "shredded" tire, but it will get by as far as a puncture goes

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Karyl,......This is why I highly recommend buying re-mote tire pressure sensors for the TRAILER not the Spyder..........If A tire on the trailer goes FLAT this is the only hope of discovery before " IT GETS SHREDDED ".............This I learned from experience .......................PS the prices have come way down from a few years ago and you can get reliable units on-line for $ 125 - $150...................Mike ........Re-placing a tire may not break the bank.......BUT if the wheel gets damaged also ( and this is very very likely ) you could be looking at $ 400 + for BRP products ..........just sayin..........

[OJ UK]

I always carry a compressor and a tire plug kit (left over habit from my BMW days). It won't fix a "shredded" tire, but it will get by as far as a puncture goes

Oh yes of course! (I just sold my R1150R) But if you get a bad one a plug isn't going to be adequate and a new tyre is
going to be required. There are only three or four places to my knowledge who can supply and fit a suitable tyre in the UK!!
I'm seriously thinking of buying a purpose built belt tension measurement tool so at least I can remove and refit the rear wheel!

[Tango]

Great story! Who would think to buy a spare tire and wheel for the trailer? So glad you did! Tom

[murphybrown]

Karyl,......This is why I highly recommend buying re-mote tire pressure sensors for the TRAILER not the Spyder..........If A tire on the trailer goes FLAT this is the only hope of discovery before " IT GETS SHREDDED ".............This I learned from experience .......................PS the prices have come way down from a few years ago and you can get reliable units on-line for $ 125 - $150...................Mike ........Re-placing a tire may not break the bank.......BUT if the wheel gets damaged also ( and this is very very likely ) you could be looking at $ 400 + for BRP products ..........just sayin..........

i can see a huge advantage for a sensor. I have the plig, compressor unit with me...but they don't make plugs that BIG...lol. Thks in advance.

[Deanna777]

Karyl:

I am glad that you did not end up spending a night beside the road, waiting for someone to stop and help you. Deanna777