Date: Friday, September 7, 2018
Location: Wall, SD
Departure Time: 8:15 am
Staring Mileage: 28,216
Seven hours sleep, I’m a new man!!
Up just past 6:00 I went downstairs and pushed the bike over to the back door, close to our room.
Once in my work cloths I removed the engine fill plug to check the oil level. When I wiped off the integral dipstick it came off in my hand. A victim of metal fatigue. The engine was a pint low so I topped it off. The transmission and rear drive fluid levels were also checked. Each took about 4 oz of lube.
The loose generator had to be dealt with so I removed the seat and tank. There, laying on the battery tray was one of the air cleaners! Man, Bubba just keeps on giving! I screwed it back in and tightened it.
If duct tape is a handyman’s secret weapon, the venerable bungee cord has to be a close second. I wrapped one around the generator and hooked the ends to the carburetor clamp on either side.
We’re headed to Winner where, God willing, I will meet Mark, aka Landshark, in the flesh.
Leaving the hotel we headed back in the direction we came, but crossed over the intersection to enter The Badlands National Park. The pictures below say it all:
We exited the Park onto RT 44 E. The morning was mild, but it was blustery. The land was flat, but 44 was pretty rough. The rough road combined with the wind tempered Bubba’s velocity.
At White River the road widened and smoothed out. We were now making time, but I was super focused on the task at hand.
Lee had lamented not getting a picture of a grain elevator a few days ago. Near Wood I spotted one and did a 180.
Approaching the town of Witten, fields of sunflowers appeared. They were beautiful. Lee released some of David’s ashes there.
SEEING THE LANDSCAPE COVERED IN SUNFLOWERS WAS PRETTY AWESOME
We were getting close to the town of Winner, our rendezvous location with Mark.
I had to switch the gas to reserve and hoped we’d make it into Winner. Five miles outside of town the fuel ran out. One of the jugs in the trailer was emptied into the tank and we were on our way.
At 1:20 pm we entered Winner. I pulled into a gas station. Lee asked what I was doing. “Just keep going, you’ll see him.” I did and there was the Moto Grisly at the next gas station.
AFTER 15 YEARS OF EMAILS & PHONE CALLS WE FINALLY MEET!
We talked for a bit. Mark explained how he had to rescue a stranded friend last night and was operating on one hour of sleep. We decided lunch was in order. Lee, the food coordinator extraordinaire, found a Mexican place on her phone. I was skeptical.
El Tapatio was a home run. The first basket of chips and bowl of fresh guacamole vanished in minutes. The second round was almost gone when the food arrived. It was plentiful and excellent.
We waddled out the door and mounted up. Mark took the lead. Within minutes we stopped in Dixon to view the remains of a notorious biker bar. It’s name escapes me.
THE MAN IN MOTION
BURT MONROE WANNABE
Mark brought his trailer just in case we came across a good bike deal.
UP IN SMOKE
According to Mark the pool table was by the fireplace.
The landscape was really beautiful, much greener than the past few days.
THE MISSOURIE RIVER IN THE DISTANCE
Not long after Dixon the road began the descent to the Missouri River.
ON THE BRIDGE
We climbed out of the river valley running at a good clip. The wind was pushing back, so Bubba was working hard. In Platte Mark took on fuel. I decided to top off Bubba’s tank and was glad I did. It was pretty low.
Just outside Platte, Mark turned onto RT 50 E. Once again we were cruising. We had decided to stop once more in Vermillion. Five miles outside town the generator light came on. I turned the lights off.
In the gas station I asked Mark how far it was to his house. “About 27 miles.” I told him about the generator light. I peered under the tank to see if one of the generator wires had broken. No issues were visible.
Will full gas tanks we motored on. I prayed there was enough juice in the battery to get me to his house.
Not far beyond Vermillion Mark exited RT 50 in favor of a couple of back roads. I was fine with the road choice. The sun was on the horizon. Not far from Jefferson the generator light miraculously went out so I switched the lights back on.
It was just past 7:30 when we rolled up Mark’s drive.
Mark showed me where his drain pan was so I could drain the engine and tranny while the oil was warm.
He then showed us our accommodations and excused himself so he could crash.
GOT SLEEP?!
Adventures With Bubba 