Know Your NorCal Mild Hog - Sturgis Addition

Repo Man, Outlaw, Snake

KNOW YOUR NORCAL MILD HOG CONTEST
Yes, an active mind is a shame to waste, that is why we decided to have contest for our followers and anyone else who might stumble upon our site. We posed several questions to the NorCal M’hogs on the 2010 trip to Sturgis. You will have the opportunity to connect the response with one of the M’hogs, Outlaw, Repo Man or Snake. The person with the most correct responses wins a 2010 Sturgis T-shirt, size x-large. If you need one bigger than that, go on a diet! In the even of a tie, we will draw the winning name from the folks with the most correct answers.

This is open to anyone, but you must provide a picture of yourself in the t-shirt for our blog. Obviously the boys on the trip cannot participate even though it is unlikely they would do that well…. Please send your response to Davemildhogs@yahoo.com no later than August 31, 2010. Just copy the list of questions into the email and put a (O = Outlaw, R= Repo Man, S=Snake). For California High School graduates, just do your best…

What was your favorite part of the trip?
• Riding to Spearfish along the valley floor
• See all of the countryside and wildlife
• The early morning ride into Sturgis on the 2nd day
What was the worst part of the trip?
• My sore rear
• Running late when meeting up with the M’hogs
• Lack of painted shirts on the ladies
What scared you the most?
• Eating at Granny’s Kitchen
• Riding behind the less experienced riders
• Getting passed by the Banditos on the shoulder of the road
What was the strangest/funniest thing you saw?
• Motorcycle with various skins and antlers on it
• The amount of old guys with young chicks
• The families that chose this week to visit SD on vacation
If you could take somebody famous with you on the next trip, who would it be?
• Hally Berry
• Angeline Jolie
• John Wayne
Who would you least like to take?
• Barack Obama
• Barack Obama
• Barack Obama
What was your favorite meal on the trip?
• Fillet Mignon in Custer
• Subway tuna sandwich…all 6 times
• Pecan crusted chicken salad (TGI Fridays)

Sturgis Trip - Day 4

The title of today’s entry should be “Ride baby ride”, cause that is what we did! The rally is really about the riding. Once you get past the t-shirts, bike accessories, crowds and scantily clad girls, it is, and always has been about the riding. The Black Hills is one of the most beautiful parts of the country and the best way to take it all in is on a motorcycle. This year’s rally seems less crowded than previous years. There is available parking and short lines to eat. While this certainly makes for a great trip, it sadly reflects the state of our current economy and the fact that unemployment is still so high, even after all the money our congress has urinated away. I could go on, but it only makes me angry.

Okay, I’m back to the trip. We decided we would start by riding the Badlands. We had never ridden it before. Repo Man took the lead and directed us towards Rapid City and the Badlands. At first the ride was along the flattest, straightest road I have ever ridden. Prairie grass lined both sides of the road for as far as the eye could see. The only interruptions were the occasional trucks hauling ass and something that must have been the devils creation. Each time they would blast by there would be a crazy buffeting effect followed by a blast of gravel, grain or something nasty that would pelt the bikes and sting the face. I watched each rider’s technique for protecting themselves from this onslaught. RM ducked behind his windshield for cover each time it occurred. Outlaw would move to the edge of the road for protection. Snake did a little of both, learning from the others. Eventually and thankfully the trucks stopped coming. At one point there was a sign that read “Badlands loop”. RM pulled over and contemplated the gravel road leading into the horizon. I had several thoughts about the Badlands Loop…bad idea, bad for the bikes, bad for the riders, bad all around. We did not take the loop, and it did not matter. We stayed on the asphalt and it did lead to the Badlands Park, thankfully. If you have never had the experience, I highly recommend visiting the Badlands at least once. It is very unique in the rugged terrain with sharp peaks and serrated edges. The pictures do not do it justice, but may help you get an idea of the rugged beauty. Outlaw aptly described it as the lunar surface. We had an interesting experience driving through the park. We came upon a bike with passenger who had no shirt. Yes, she had no shirt on. With great care we were able to get some evidence… I just wonder how she managed to survive those gravel trucks with only pasties for protection…

After exiting the park we shortly entered Wall, SD. The entire town is built around the Wall Drug Store, I’m sure you have seen the big bumper stickers. We had to stop; there was no way I was going to pass up a 5 cent cup of coffee no matter how hot it is outside! Yes, a nickel! Not bad at all! Being the cheapest guy in the world I balked at the nickel refill, after all, refills should be cheaper than the first cup! Wall Drug takes up an entire block and appears to be many connected shops and services all under the same name. Perhaps it is the original mall… Regardless, we did not shop, just looked. Speaking of looking, our nude friend came riding up right as we were leaving. There is something unusual about a woman walking around in public with only pasties for a shirt. She appeared to be very comfortable with the entire experience which included families all around trying to enjoy their vacation without soft porn on the siedewalk. I’m not certain I understand a guy who likes his girl running around like that. I guess it takes all kinds…

We left Wall and headed to the hotel for water and the opportunity to rest and plan the remainder of our day. Refreshed, we left for Mount Rushmore. MR is a fantastic experience. It is an exceptionally beautiful setting, both the natural background and the park facility itself. They have really done a nice job. It is also amazing to think that a man had a vision to carve faces in a mountain and was able to carry it off. I’m certain the permitting and environmental impact report would make it prohibitive today, although there is a similar carving of Crazy Horse going on nearby. Having been there before, we took the obligatory MR pictures and soon left.

We rode to Deadwood, Lead and Spearfish. The Spearfish Valley is unbelievable, beautiful even in an area known for its beauty. The ride was a winding ribbon of black asphalt with sheer vertical cliffs on each side, complete with a pristine creek running along the valley floor. While there were not many homes along the valley, the ones that we saw were sprawling estates with large garages. They must have been in the multiple millions of dollars… Once in Spearfish, RM parted ways to drop his bike off for shipment home. Outlaw and I proceeded back to the hotel. On the ride back we followed a bike that was creeping along. With no where to pass we patiently waited for the first opportunity. Why are you snickering? We waited… When the lane became two and we started to pass, this guy found his throttle. I know Outlaw well and thought, “it is on” and it was. Needless to say, we lost the guy in the curves like two fighters in formation, Outlaw leading and Snake as the wingman. We made it to the hotel, picked up the truck and went to meet RM in Rapid City.

It was a long day of riding, between 325 and 360 miles depending on who you believe. It really does not matter. It was a great day of riding and that is why we came. With some sadness we depart the beauty of the Black Hills and head to the beauty of Northern California, home to the NorCal Mild Hogs and one of the most beautiful places to ride anywhere.

Thanks for following our trip. I hope you enjoyed it.

See you on the road!

Day 4 - Sturgis

Lake Pactola

Main Street Sturgis

Today we went into downtown Sturgis. For those of you who have never been, there is not much of a town, except during Rally Week each year. Much of the town is shut down the majority of the year, coming alive for one week every August. If you want to have a peek, use the following web site...please note, for the Chevron viewers, do not use the company computers to look at night.... http://rapidcityjournal.com/app/pages/sturgisrallydaily/sturgis_webcam/



I honestly can't explain this...

We got up early and rode the 50 miles from Hill City to Sturgis. I had forgotten how beautiful the ride is. You pass the Pactola Reservoir along the way as well as the city of Deadwood. It was a cool morning and not too much traffic. We cut the dogs loose which really felt good after the wildlife tour yesterday which is much slower. Once in Sturgis, we parked the bikes on the main drag which was fairly open at that time which is unusual. It may be the economy, or perhaps global warming which I previously warned you about. Either way, I'm blaming Obama. He has ample time to straighten this sh-- out!

The only thing I can say about Sturgis is, seen it once, seen it enough... The vendors are the same, t-shirts, bike stuff and t-shirts.... It was hotter than hell! The temperature was 98 degrees. I was hoping it may cause less clothing on the women, but today was actually pretty calm. I'm not saying we didn't see some dainties, just not as much as previous years.

Sturgis Air Conditioning!

There was a great bike show. Some of the bikes looked like you may be able to ride them. Others, not so sure. One of the bikes had a radial engine similar to an older aircraft, while another had steering in the rear. All well done, few were practical. Snake's next bike....

We eventually could not stand the heat and elected to head back. Along the way, we stopped in Deadwood, an old mining town famous for being the location where Wild Bill Hickok was killed. The town does a pretty nice job of welcoming bikers. All the same t-shirts, less crowds and more parking.

After a quick tour of the main street, we headed home to Hill City where we stopped to take a few photos at the Pactola Reservoir. We also purchased water for $1 from the park service. Best deal in South Dakota. Dinner was in Custer City. Fillet mignon for $14 and it was wrapped in bacon. It does not get any better than that. Tomorrow we are off to the Bad Lands for our last ride in South Dakota this year.

See you on the road!

Sturgis - Day 3 The arrival

Gillette, WY ! I wanted to dedicate the entire post to GW, but today we met up with the International Mild Hogs so much of my rant on GW was lucky to make the editor's cut. Well, I checked out the town… no razor manufacturing here, however there were several points of interest. Did you know that GW is home to the Rock Pile Museum? And, believe it or not, it is FREE to the public! No Repo Man, we cannot stop this time. There is also a campground in the middle of town called “Green Trees Crazy Lady Campground”. Now if that thought doesn’t make you want to pitch a tent, I don’t know what will… GW is also a college town! The Gillette College of Diesel Mechanics was not far from our hotel, and it is home to the Fighting Piston Rings. GW has made great use of its former gas stations by converting them to laundromats, tanning salons, real estate offices and one church. On my early morning run, I ran into the town’s one tri-athlete. He was riding a bike, smoking, and drinking a beer all at the same time! That is "tri" right? We ate at a fine eating establishment known as Granny’s Kitchen. The dining room was spacious and had a lattice partition to separate the smoking and nonsmoking sections. How accommodating. I will add the word “Granny” to the words in a restaurant name that I will never go to again. It joins the list of “Copper”, “Skillet”,”Mom’s” and “Down Home”… I’ve often thought about moving back to the United States after leaving the Peoples Republic of California. GW is seriously making me re-think that plan.

Our early morning drive lead us to Rapid City where Repo Man picked up his bike that was previously shipped. The driver tried to convince Outlaw and myself to ship rather than trailer..."you know those trailers can tip". No Sh--, I said! I then described the tractor trailer I saw halfway down the mountain. Let's face it, it is always a miracle when the bike makes it. We headed to Hill City where the front desk ladies went out of their way to find us a room that we could check into immediately. Repo Man has a way with "the ladies". We quickly unpacked and of course washed the bikes before heading out.

Soon we were on the road to meet the other Mild Hogs (M'hogs). It was good to be back on the bikes in the lovely South Dakota country side. We soon met up with the M'hogs at the predetermined spot. It was great to get to meet all the others. There were folks from North Carolina, Oklahoma, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, Australia and of course, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

After grabbing lunch and some group photos, we were off to ride the wildlife road taking us through Custer Park. Throughout the ride we spotted elk, antelope (ahhh!), deer, wild ass, and buffalo. With a herd of buffalo on the side of the road, Outlaw got off his bike to take a picture of the group with the buffalo in the background, you know, one of those "this is what they looked like before the buffalo attack" pictures. As Outlaw stood with his back to the herd, a large cow worked her way up behind him. She was as big as a truck with nostrils the size of dinner plates. When he realised she was nearby, Outlaw leaped behind Snake and his bike. He surprised us all with his cat like reflections.

The band of M'hogs eventually found their way out of the park and into Rapid City where we planned to meet to eat. Unfortunately, one of the other riders had bike trouble and caused us to miss the BBQ. You know, no M'hog left behind. We said our goodbyes, promised to write and went our separate ways. It was good to meet the other and know there are M'hogs across the globe sharing our love of riding.

Tonight dinner was in Hill City so that we could call it an early night. Tomorrow we are planning to go into Sturgis during the day and night. There should be some good stories and pictures. I will look forward to sharing them with you.

See you on the road.

Sturgis Trip - Day 2

Okay, I am able to put the pictures on my computer, but I'm not able to load them on the blog. I suspect it is a Blogspot problem... Sorry!

I’m very tempted to make this a green blog… yet uncertain how to make that happen. I guess if you say it is green, that is all that matters. I could try powering the computer with an “alternative” source of energy, like the type that was prevalent in the hotel room last night… Perhaps not, too explosive. Anyway, as we traveled through Wyoming today I can now see how important the environment is. It has been an overcast day which is fine by me, with a few showers on and off throughout the day. As long as the bikes are already dirty, a little more rain won’t hurt. Once again, I am happy to be trailering our bikes. We have seen a number of bikers headed to Sturgis, many of whom waved, unlike yesterday’s one jerk.

Repo Man is keeping a watchful eye for wildlife. We were barely on the road when he spotted the first antelope, so he says. You have to be a little skeptical when he describes is as being “640 yards away on the edge of that field, looks like it may have a bad leg and a tick on its left ear…no, make that a zit”. It is not that I’m calling RM a liar, but come on! He is pretty good at spotting the wildlife while Outlaw and I are good at spotting "the wildlife”. It is a subtle nuance, but to each his own… Fortunately for us, the antelope seem to be in rather short supply, otherwise we would get regular updates. It is not apparent why there are less than years past, but I am going to chalk it up to “Global Warming”! After all, isn’t it the cause of everything bad?

I solved (with a little bit of help) the picture download problem. I now have them on the computer, but unfortunately I cannot get them in the blog... With any luck I will get it resolved soon.

We stopped at RadioShack in Rock Springs. The helpful employee told me she could solve all my problems. Unfortunately, she was only able to solve the computer download issue…Perhaps she can tackle the rest on the return trip. I can download pictures from all the cameras, the internet and the Hubble telescope…. I was beside myself at the thought of Sturgis blog with no pictures. After all, that is half the fun. Please note, I do all of this for our devoted followers!

Besides the occasional antelope, we did see a wind farm. I was impressed with the sheer size of the windmills and turbines. It looks like the turbine housing is as big as a box car. The blades were hundreds of feet long. As you can imagine, these behemoths are quite a spectacular sight and the future of cleaner energy for our country. When do they actually rotate? All but a handful were sitting perfectly still, technological wonders, but not producing enough energy to power this lap top… At the same time, we did see gas and crude pipelines delivering real energy to power our cities, cars, trucks and planes.

Wyoming is a geologist paradise. There are alluvial plains heaving upward into perfect riding areas for dirt bikes. You could ride forever out here and not see a single sole, antelope, but no people. Wyoming also has snow fences. These are quite tall wooden structures to prevent drifting snow from blocking the highways. They are everywhere. Note to file…never live where they have to install “snow fences”.

We are stopping in Gillette, Wyoming for our assault on Sturgis first thing in the morning. No, I don’t know if they make razors here. I’ll get back to you on that.

See you on the road….

Sturgis Trip - Day 1

With great excitement, we all gathered at Outlaw’s house this morning before the sun came up. It was day 1 of our trip to Sturgis. The bikes were already loaded; that is something you want to do in daylight. Repo Man’s bike was already in Sturgis as he shipped it a couple of weeks ago. With the obligatory last minute group photo…in case you never come back, we were on our way. Traffic at that time was light and after a short time we stopped for coffee and to make certain the bikes were properly secured. With Starbucks in each holder, we were off again. The ride was fairly uneventful, thank goodness. We did come across a number of rescue vehicles on the shoulder of the roads as we were coming down the mountain from Tahoe City, you know, the area where it is a sheer drop off the side just a few feet from your right tires… Well, off the road and DOWN the hill was an 18 wheeler! It was a couple of hundred yards down the steep hillside facing nose down and still on its wheels! The wrecker that was on the scene had to be thinking..”how am I going to pull that thing up the hill?”. I would have liked to get pictures, but there was no where to pull off. Hopefully my description was dramatic enough.

We are in Outlaw's new truck so we are trying to be careful about our snacks. We did pull out the beef jerky…okay, no smart remarks! We are serious about our jerky and I have to say, this was the best jerky I never made… As you can imagine, we are not a tofu crowd. You can’t jerk that stuff anyway, can you? We made it past Winnemmucca (if there are too many letters, too bad) this year! I wanted to stop and visit the Buckaroo Hall of Fame, but we had daylight to burn. I’m not kidding about the BHF, but I was kidding about my desire to stop…We eventually stopped in Battle Mountain for lunch. I can honestly say we were the three best looking guys in that town. Inbreeding has not gone well in BM, appropriately named. The lady that waited on us at McDonalds, their finest eating establishment, had no teeth! I got the salad, hoping it was pre-made somewhere else…perhaps in China by little kids.

Fortunately we have satellite radio, unfortunately it picks up a signal called “NASCAR radio”. Yes, they broadcast car races on the radio! If you think watching Nascar is stimulating, you have to try listening to it on the radio. I kept trying to find the Dog Show station, or perhaps the Quilters Guild radio hour… Those were the only things I could come up with that might be worse…

For those of you non-believers, I have compelling proof of God. While crossing the Bonneville Salt Flats, a motorcycle with a rather nasty looking character driving and an even nastier looking partner went by us. As they passed, the guy looks at us in our cushy truck with trailered bikes and sneers, at least I think he sneered as he shook his head. You see, his filthy goatee was blowing in the breeze and it completely covered his mouth. He may have even uttered the word ”pussy”, still not sure. You see, there is this supposed badge of courage for riding your bike to Sturgis, doesn’t matter if you live 10 miles away or 10 thousand. Okay, back to Mr. Bad Ass and the existence of God. About 2 miles down the road, Mr. BA was on the shoulder looking at his smoking engine. Good luck pushing that to Sturgis, how about that trailer now, jackass...? I wanted to get a picture, from the safety of the truck….

We made it to Park City today, 700 miles. I brought an air mattress, fortunately for Repo Man, none of us has to spoon. I’m excited to show the guys my Harley sheets and pillow case…They were purchased for my grandson, eventually… There is some apprehension about 3' of us in a room. It was suggested that perhaps we use the lobby bathroom for those special occasions” that should not be shared with roommates. After facing resistance to this suggestion, I suggested the use of the “courtesy flush”…think about that one…

That’s all for now! See you on the road!