50 States Day 63

50 States, Day 63 Hardin, MT to Spearfish, SD  306 miles

 

"Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties."

~Helen Keller

 

Another day getting from one place to another, save the Little Bighorn Battlefield. And yes, Custer got creamed. He planned his assault on the Sioux and Crow Indians with 263 men, and faced a formidable enemy. Sitting Bull and warriors numbered between 1,500 and 2,000. However, five years later, Sitting Bull surrendered to the Americans, and he eventually became a part of the Wild Bill's Wild West Show. Sitting Bull eventually was killed by Sioux police. So the entire mess was pretty sad.

At the site was a national cemetery, not of the quality of Arlington, but a final resting place of soldiers from that battle, as well as from the Spanish- American War, and World Wars I and II. Family members are buried there too.

Back on the faithful steed, and we stayed on I-90 today, as we discovered 

Highway 212 closed dues to fires. Twice we rode through smoke today, but no fire sightings. Seems like the entire West is on fire.

We rolled in to Spearfish, SD, state number 10 at 4 P.M., longer and farther than we like, but we'll chill tomorrow. A quick setup of the tent, a cooling plunge in the pool and we're back on our game. Speaking of pool, I took a HUGE RISK and had Quilter Girl take my picture underwater. What do you know, the camera worked as claimed. And taking an even bigger risk, I'm posting the underwater shot. People look better in air.

 

And now the weekly:

 

Stupid Driver of the Week

 

A number of contestants this week. I thought the guy that passed me in the white car could win. Sir, when you pass, I know it takes a lot more strength to move the wheel another four degrees, but then you pass me in the other lane, not mine. Then when you swing back in, you don't need to almost clip my front wheel. But I guess we are the brotherhood of travelers, a very close knit group, right?

However, the winner beat him handily:

We took the Highway 212 exit and headed east. However, a sign indicated the highway was closed. The driver of a pickup with a canopy swerved into the outside (my) lane, and swung a nice big arc for a U turn. Yes, if I was next to him he'd have punted us into the ditch. As it was, we did the full on braking while this clown just did what needed to be done. No use turning into the gas station or anything. No, he's the center of the universe.

 

Riding By The Numbers:

 

44.2      MPG. Just cruising at 60 through Montana.

8,680    Miles on the (PP!) Gold Wing so far.

2,494    Alaska rental bike.

11,174  Total miles

4           States we have been in twice. Go ahead and guess.

45         Degrees on Wednesday in Montana

102       Degrees on Friday in Montana

4           Inches of snow Tuesday night on Logan Pass, MT

 

Mutterings, Musings, Rants and Raves

 

In Custer's defense, he didn't realize how many people he was up against. He was still an idiot.

 

I know all the reasons why, but I think we need to fight fires with more fervor. I know, it burns the underbrush and set seeds free that wouldn't germinate otherwise, blah blahblah, but what about air pollution, carbon footprint and losing a jillion acres of trees that eat carbon dioxide and produce oxygen? Build fire breaks and put them out early! Just my opinion.

 

Travelers are awesome. Germans in particular. A German woman today told us she's visited the US 17 times since 1988, and has seen 37 states. She’s got us beat... so far.Humbling that others appreciate our country more than us.

 

(PP!) KOA campgrounds rock. This one in particular has a $2.50 all you can eat ice cream, a restaurant that serves dinner and breakfast, a welcome goodie bag with toothpaste, deodorant and homemade cookies, and they delivered our bag of ice. Very cool!

 

Thanks to follower Mel Nason for finding out how farm sprinklers move, and how locomotive engineers rest. They either go out and back in one shift, or go out a shift then sleep in a railroad bunkhouse at a stop.

If you must find out how the sprinklers move, email me and I'll forward it. It's a long story!

 

What a wonderful week. Montana, great state. Good to see the sun finally.