rijopiatt
Junior Member
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Posts: 99
Columbia City, Indiana
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Some of you may have followed my previous prep/mods posts in RSD, regarding this trip. What started out last week as a potential peak experience ended as an exercise in drudgery/ endurance.
Let me preface with that I’m 64, never owned a motorcycle before last year and had accumulated 3,700 miles on the bike (2012 S40) prior to the trip, 2/3 of which have been on back roads doing 40-45 mph with my wife on the back and the remainder highway at 55-60 mph.
Day 1: IN 14 Columbia City, IN to Rochester, IN- beautiful, smooth, curving and rolling route. IN 14 Rochester, IN to west state line- very rough- I will never use it again.
Illinois state line to Interstate 57- US 52 portion (7 miles) is an industrial area with heavy truck traffic, where I received a facial sandblasting with each passing truck over the grooved road surface.
Ill 116 to Ill 17, arrived at Johnson-Sauk Trail SRA after approximately riding 6 hours and camped in a beautiful pine forest.
Day 2: Ill 17 to Mississippi River, crossing at Muscatine, Iowa- very nice route.
Iowa 92 from Muscatine to Lake Ahquabi State Park (near Indianola, Iowa) - beautiful rolling hills with long curves and many long distance vistas.
Attempted for 2 hours on my smartphone to email experiences and photos using WIFI at McDonald’s unsuccessfully. It kept dropping when I’d attempt to send, then I would have to start all over. I decided I wouldn’t spend more time on the trip with tech issues and just enjoy the riding experience. I rode for approximately 6 hours and only saw one 18 wheeler all day.
Day 3: Iowa 92 to Iowa 25 to Iowa 44- beautiful scenery and roads. Iowa 44, aka as a Western Skies Iowa Byway to the Nebraska line is beautiful also.
Up to this point, all the roads have had a speed limit of 55, so I’ve been cruising at 52-58. 18 wheeler traffic has increased a bit. I’ve noticed that livestock rigs create a unique and very unsettling turbulence. Also, local grain rig drivers seem less patient and more aggressive in regards to the speed limit and interacting with a motorcycle than the otr rigs I encountered.
During the afternoon, the sky to the west has been clouding up. Crossing into Nebraska, the speed limit increases to 60 mph, but the road conditions decrease i.e. lots of very poor patch work and raised joints. Consequently, I change my planned route to use other roads that will take me north to connect with Nebraska 12 to US 20, both following the north border of the state and hoping at the same time for better road conditions. NOT. It starts to rain, making the roads more challenging. I cancel my plan to camp in a state park. Livestock rigs that pass me in the rain create a “tinted” shower along with their even more intimidating turbulence.
I head for the South Dakota border, hoping for better road conditions and a motel vacancy, as it’s getting late. The road improves, speed limit is back to 55 and Yankton, S.D.’s Starlite Inn has one vacancy.
I unpack in the rain, go to Burger King for a 9:00 p.m. dinner, review my 6 hour riding day and get sick from the food upon returning to my $57/ night, weekly rates, matchbox motel room.
I forgot to mention that the motel desk clerk has told me that the weather forecast is thunderstorms for the next 2-3 days from Wyoming, heading east, southeast. At home, I originally planned an alternate bad weather route, dropping down to Kansas with a new destination of Colorado. However, having now experienced the horrible road conditions in Nebraska, knowing I will have to travel the full height of the state to get there and through bad weather; I refuse, won’t cowboy up or am too chicken nuts to do it. Time to head home.
Day 4: I pack in the rain. Heading east, I cross into Iowa at the tiny town of Akron on route 3 and stop for gas.
While pumping my gas, a thunderous sound announces the arrival of eight Harley riders at the next pump. Six are Hell’s Angels from Connecticut. Several of them discuss weather and road conditions with me, agreeing and stating that Nebraska’s roads “suck”. One spends some time checking-out/ admiring the S40. He has also experienced the livestock rig effect, speculating that it has something to do with the slats/opening in the trailer. Additionally, he comments on the “tinted” shower caused by the “p-ss and sh-t”. Several of us discuss distances, speeds and duration of travel each day. I state I’m riding for about 6 hrs. covering about 300 plus miles and maintaining 55-60 mph. while cruising. They try to cover about 600 miles a day, cruising at about 100 mph at times. We wish each other “be safe” and I head out into the rain. After two hours, I feel my chest and seat getting wet even though I’m wearing Road Toadz. My thighs are shaking slightly-no more today. I stop in Cherokee, Iowa, check into a motel and find a laundermat to dry my clothes.
Day 5: I pack in the rain. I take US 59 south to US 20. The rain is heavy, visibility dropping to about ¼ mile at times. I drop my speed to 45 and turn on my emergency flashers, hoping to avoid getting rear-ended. The rain feels like hail (and hell) on my face. I’ve readjusted my rain hood, but still getting wet. So, I stop in Fort Dodge to dry my clothes at a laundermat, rest and get some hot food.
Two hours latter I’m on the road again determined to reach the Illinois border, putting me within reach of my home the next day. It rains 6 of the 7 hours it takes me to get back to Muscatine, Iowa on the Mississippi River.
It’s interesting how a beautiful landscape and good roads (Iowa) can be liberating and a joyful experience. Then, with a change in the weather become so intimidating, depressing and create such a sense of loneliness.
Day 6: No rain! I ride east, the first 2 hours into a strong wind. The wind farms that stretch across this portion of Illinois coincide with the experience. The remainder of the day is uneventful as I stretch my riding time to eight hours, reaching home.
I didn’t make it to Wyoming. However, I rode 1800 miles, experiencing just about every road condition possible and at times in horrible weather conditions. I know my bike better and I’m probably a better rider for the experience. I guess I’ll evaluate my gear and regroup for another trip, another time.
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