Dudley and Jennifer's 10,000 Mile Journey Blog

[Kjen]

Well! Got started a little earlier today, but it was rough. Had to stop and put the leather jacket before we got tooooo far down the road. Won't it ever be warm enough? Things went along per normal: green, rolling fields of corn, corn, more corn, occasional soybeans, cows, horses and smells, trees too. WIND became an issue today; had to do the hunch down and cover behind Dudley. Sure tires you out.
We met up with BigArm (Larry) and went over to his dealer and Dudley got whatever service update thingy done. Larry and I chatted ; hard to believe huh cause I don't talk much. Short visit then we were being escorted onward toward the South Dakota line. Nice drive, traffic heading up was not too bad, lots of bikes. Larry left us in Sioux Falls and we drove on to Mitchell where the skies were getting ready to open. No rooms at one spot, lucked out and got the only room canceled by someone else (snuck in just before some other riders, wheew). Dudley called around to other places in the Keystone area for the next few days; that was a trip and expense, but we are set up at least and have the satisfaction of knowing we have a room waiting when we arrive tired and stressed.
Talked to a few HD guys at the hotel, they really like the spyder. Think some are just too macho to admit it, they just kind of glance or stand there or walk away.
Far as I know tomorrow is another day so will sign off now because my mind is blank. Later.

[bjt]

Dudley and Kjen, did you ever figure out what the entire banner said? I see in Big Arm's second photo that it was, once again, only unfurled a few feet for the signing and picture.

[NancysToy]

Dudley and Kjen, did you ever figure out what the entire banner said? I see in Big Arm's second photo that it was, once again, only unfurled a few feet for the signing and picture.

There are pictures with it completely unfurled, including one with all of us, but Jennifer usually doesn't post those to her album.

[bjt]

There are pictures with it completely unfurled, including one with all of us, but Jennifer usually doesn't post those to her album.

Just picking on them. When they were asked what it said at our meet in Flint, they both had a different answer and then changed their answer as we started to unfurl it.

[Dudley]

We got 2 nights at the Super 8 in Hot Springs, SD for tonight and tomorrow night. That will be our spot to explore the area. So, we gotta get moving so we can get there earlier. Traveling I-90 until the SD-79 turn off, then go south to the US-385, then right to Hot Springs. Yesterday we rode 468 miles, mostly in the wind I posted about. Hope today is calmer. Later!

[Smylinacha]

We got 2 nights at the Super 8 in Hot Springs, SD for tonight and tomorrow night. That will be our spot to explore the area. So, we gotta get moving so we can get there earlier. Traveling I-90 until the SD-79 turn off, then go south to the US-385, then right to Hot Springs. Yesterday we rode 468 miles, mostly in the wind I posted about. Hope today is calmer. Later!

Wow you guys are really making great time - enjoy, ride safe, and we miss ya!

[Dudley]

We are settled at the Super 8 in Hot Springs, SD. Very nice place. Tomorrow we are going to do what we can...Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, etc. Rode 370 miles today. Got some 5 cent coffee at the Wall Drugs. The best coffee we have had in quite a while. Also did the Badlands National Park. One thing about being my age...bought the $10 card at Valley Forge, so now all National Parks are FREE! The Badlands was awesome! So beautiful what nature can do when you leave it alone.
TV dinner is ready...be back in a bit.

[tatt2r]

(The best coffee we have had in quite a while.)quote.....

HEY!!! what do you mean best coffe in a while????

[Big Arm]

Glad you took the time to drive thru the badlands, on your way. Keep the pics coming (Everybody stops at Wall Drug )

[Dudley]

(The best coffee we have had in quite a while.)quote.....

HEY!!! what do you mean best coffe in a while????

Been a while since we had yours!!!

[Rando]

Dudley,

What are you using to stay connected with SpyderLovers? An iPhone?

[Dudley]

Dudley,

What are you using to stay connected with SpyderLovers? An iPhone?

We check and post nightly on the computer (we carried Jennifer's laptop). My cell is just a "Hello" phone.

[Kjen]

Lots of corn today, I mean LOTS. Wind and rolling hills. We visited the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD before we left town this morning. Cool place; artistry all in corn cobs and plant pieces; actually amazing. The few pics posted are made of corn; the whole museum celebrates corn and its products so check it out. After this we headed onward to the Badlands. Terrain changed after crossing the Missouri river. Flat and prairie with long stretches of greens and yellows; think Laura Ingals Wilder and Little House. At the turn for the Badlands there was a sign for the Minuteman Missile Site but then nothing; wanted to take a shot for friend Pat.
There are lots of pictures in the album or will be when done, I couldn't make up my mind what to share. It all kind of reminded me of the Painted Desert and the Grand Canyon (both in AZ) rolled into one. Some pictures I blurred so least you won't have to see those. Got to take the leather jacket off after noon. PLUS we gain another hour.
Oh, after one picture stop as we were pulling out we crossed a silver spyder. Of course we turned around (easy to do with spyder) and chased her down; did the gab and sign and picture thing. Rolling on after a bit we crossed another spyder; we didn't try to catch it but she pumped her arm up and down-GO SPYDER.
Lots of HD and other bikes around. Lots of looks and walk overs and sizing us up and such. "How you like that? Is it fast? How does it steer? What's the cost? Who makes that? A trike with the wheels in the front! I want one!" The normal questions but funny coming from so many "tough, rough" looking guys. Should see more tomorrow. Even got them in the hotel parking lot. You know how all the bikes bunch together so we got talked to/questioned as we were giving it a clean up.
Tomorrow's another day as far as I know, so, catch ya'll later.

[Kjen]

Dudley and Kjen, did you ever figure out what the entire banner said? I see in Big Arm's second photo that it was, once again, only unfurled a few feet for the signing and picture.

It's a secret. Avoiding toe stepping and such. I forget about boundaries; kind of like the north and the south during the Civil War.

[tatt2r]

you both will be talking about this trip for a long time after its over .... so you coming back next year or are you going to shoot for japan

[Dudley]

you both will be talking about this trip for a long time after its over .... so you coming back next year or are you going to shoot for japan

Build the bridge!

[tatt2r]

Build the bridge!

im on it....

[Dudley]

Well, today was a real grinder. 269 miles of twists, turns, and hundreds of Harleys, if not in the thousands! Saw at least 5 Spyders, but they were either going opposite directions, or parked (2). Another wonder...we met 3 HD riders from the Bronx, NY at a rest stop in MN. Saw them the next day at a gas station in SD. Saw them again today in Sturgis, twice! We also met a couple at the same rest area and saw them again at a Mt Rushmore scenic overview and again at Deadwood.
Here is the summary of roads driven today: We left the motel about 830 AM and headed north on US-385, turned north on SD-87, which led us to the Custer State Park, which has a "Wildlife Loop". HA! We saw five different kinds of "wild" life, which just stood there so we could take pictures, probably thinking, "Stupid humans!" They were bison, burros, prairie dogs, antelope, and 2 deer. The scenery was beautiful, thankfully. To people from the city, this is something to see, so don't get discouraged if you ever do this. After the park, we took US-16A north (Iron Mountain Road) to Mt Rushmore. I can now positively state that the steering undate has made a big difference in the power steering...all for the good. Mt Rushmore is really awesome! Motorcycles all over the place! We didn't park in their lot ($10) to get any information we can easily get on the internet. From Mt Rushmore we traveled SD-244 to US-385 south to the Crazy Horse Monument. We could see it well from a short distance without paying to go closer, so we took pictures and left. We turned around on US-385 and headed north. We stayed on that highway until we reached Deadwood, SD, passing through Silver City, SD. Silver City had part of their town blocked off just for motorcycle travel. A lot of bikes there. But Deadwood looked like Sturgis...bikes all over the place. Casinos in almost every building on the main drag! Quite a let down for us, but that's progress. We saw the Deadwood TV series, so at least some buildings had history. From Deadwood we rode US-14A to Sturgis. We rode around Sturgis a bit, did the Main Street Drag twice. The traffic on it was moving well. The road off the interstate was a mess...stop-and-go nightmare. We saw where the BRP van will open tomorrow, so we will go back for that, on our way out. NMN is in Rapid City and we will drop in to see him also. So that was the day...a fast moving time, but we did take time to see things. Haven't decided on tomorrow's route yet.

[Kjen]

I've discovered that by the end of the day I'm almost too tired and crabby to sit here and type and make sense or be nice. The wildlife loop we started with today was nice. Rolling hills and green meadows along with the bison, prairie dogs, antelope, mules/donkeys and whatnots. Peaceful and serene and could be addictive.
Then it was Mt Rushmore and that was cool. Surprise when I first spotted it in a clearing long before we got there. Hard to capture on the camera. Didn't feel like paying to park (had alread given $12 for the wildlife loop which was nice but have seen lots of such on this trip) so took shots as Dudley drove the parking lot. Some shots were good, you have to check the album. Lots of bikes wherever we went. Lots of noise and fumes and people, SIGH. Crazy Horse was another park to pay so forget that, lots of us turned and just took pictures from the road; onward. Was other stuff but just nice and peaceful.
Deadwood was SUCH a disappointment to me. Nothing like the series; I should be so naive. The buildings were OK, but just gambling joints when you go inside. Of course the interiors are modern so you can't get the feel of old. I only went into a few because of all the noise of music blaring, bikes revving, people talking, noise noise noise. Didn't spend much time there because it was just so frustrating. Hawkers every where of course.
On to Sturgis. Bikers coming and going the whole route; the poor people who came to just enjoy the park area. I know we are here at this present time accidentally; sure didn't do this on purpose. Actually the sheer vending/buying things going on is amazing; how much do we need? Maybe I would feel different if I had room to store any of it? LOL. I did envy the ladies who were nicely (used loosely) dressed and fresh looking; I was feeling unfeminine and frumpy and grumpy. We did the main street strip gauntlet for a couple of times. That was kind of fun. Got to see LOTS of various bikes and hear comments about the spyder; yes, we even talked to people about spyder and performance. One lady stopped us and said "flat out, how much?" Saw the CanAm truck and should be stopping by to see it tomorrow if we can get through. Thought of going and looking up Magic Man in Rapid City, not sure cause it will be a circus out there starting tomorrow.
Tired here. OH, it was HOT today.

[Dudley]

Today will be another long one. Plans are to leave Hot Springs on US-385 north to US-16 where we will turn left and go north to I-90, hook up to US-14 north to WY-24 to Devil's Tower. From there we will continue to I-90, head East again to Sturgis and the BRP truck. From there we are going back on I-90 West to US-85 north to North Dakota to US-12 west, to I-94 west and then I-90 west. Have no clue where we will be tonight.


Total miles on trip to date....10,019!

[NancysToy]

Total miles on trip to date....10,019!

[SpyderGirl]

Total miles on trip to date....10,019!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep riding safe!!

[Smylinacha]

Hey KJen! You guys have been on one hell of a journey so you have every right to feel tired, unrested, happy, ecstatic, frumpy, fresh faced - you name it! It all goes w/ the trip. I'm like you, I wouldn't pay to get stuck in tourist traps. Me & HDX like to do things in our time and we're not fond of tons of noise, constant parties, riding in large groups and such. Like when we went to Laconia - went down that strip once and saw what we needed to see and then went to do some real riding in the mountains!

I love all your pictures, your stories of the trip, keep it all just the way it is!

Miss ya!

[tatt2r]

Hey KJen! You guys have been on one hell of a journey so you have every right to feel tired, unrested, happy, ecstatic, frumpy, fresh faced - you name it! It all goes w/ the trip. I'm like you, I wouldn't pay to get stuck in tourist traps. Me & HDX like to do things in our time and we're not fond of tons of noise, constant parties, riding in large groups and such. Like when we went to Laconia - went down that strip once and saw what we needed to see and then went to do some real riding in the mountains!

I love all your pictures, your stories of the trip, keep it all just the way it is!

Miss ya!

I can already see a made for television movie coming at least a book

[jeuchler]

...we met 3 HD riders from the Bronx, NY at a rest stop ...

I used to work in the Bronx--Yep, I know the three guys you're talking about.

...Mt Rushmore...

Lincoln's nose is eleven feet long!