Passes & Canyons Blog

Day 4 of this ride along the Great River Road and we headed north out of Davenport, Iowa, to I-80, which we jumped on just long enough to reach the Mississippi at LeClaire. From there US 67 follows the west bank of the river.

If I was doing this trip with Judy in the car I would seriously consider skipping the more southern portion of this ride and just blasting out to LeClaire and heading north from there. This was where the river road started getting really consistently pretty. I would hate to miss the bluffs, the town of Grafton, and Pere Marquette State Park, just north of Alton, Illinois. But if you were strapped for time this would be a good starting point. Either way, LeClaire is a very attractive little town hugging the river, and would be worth a stop.

Of course, this is the RMMRC, and we don’t do stops. So we ran right on through.

I have to say here, this trip was originally conceived of as something where we would not ride together, where everyone would pick their agenda for the day with the only certainty that we would all end up in the same place that evening. For the most part that didn’t happen. For those like me who wanted a different agenda, we really have no one but ourselves to blame. I did do that a few times but not this day, which I regret because there were stretches later on where I really wanted to go a different route but didn’t. Tim did go off on his own pretty much this entire day but I’m not sure he’s glad he did. More on that later.

So US 67 pretty much sticks to the river, although for much of the time it drifts away from the shore, only offering you views of the water occasionally. It terminated and we picked us US 52, which took us across the river into Illinois and we turned north on IL 84. Again, after awhile alongside the river the road turned more inland and there wasn’t much to see. We connected to US 20 and took it through Galena and then on into Dubuque, back on the Iowa side.

I’ve been to Dubuque a few times and was looking forward perhaps to stopping for lunch and spending some time there. But that was apparently not the plan, so after some missed turns and confusion we continued on out of town on IA 3, headed northwest. Now the river was not even close by but we were passing through some really pretty countryside. We hadn’t stopped in a long time so as we rode along a ridge line I was pleased to see a scenic viewpoint and desperately hoped Dave, who was leading, would stop. He didn’t. Man, I really needed to get off that bike for a bit!

We got back on US 52 and turned north, eventually rejoining the river at last. Finally we stopped in Gutenberg for lunch.

At that point we learned that Dave’s bike was not running well. His indicators were telling him the battery was not charging. It was decided that after lunch he and Charley would ride on straight to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where there was a battery shop that had just the battery his bike needed. We were all hoping that was all it would take. At lunch the first grumbling began to be voiced from those of us who are not inclined to the Iron Butt style of riding. It would continue to percolate.

From Gutenberg we followed what is actually called the Great River Road north to Marquette. The Great River Road continues, on up to Lansing, at which point we crossed into Wisconsin and picked up WI 35. This runs right along the river but we came to a construction zone. Bob was leading now and he rode right up to the blockade and asked the guys working if we could just scoot past and keep going. They said no, there were others areas where the road was unpassable, but if we took the marked detour but turned left at County Road K we could skip much of the detour and get back to the river much quicker. So we did, and that was actually kind of a fun ride through the hills.

After that it wasn’t far to La Crosse, where we found Dave and Charley at the battery shop, getting a charge put in Dave’s new battery. It was at this point that I made my mistake in not following my own lead. It was going to be another hour and a half till the battery was charged enough and I should have taken off. I would have gone on to Winona and then crossed to the other side and ridden along the east bank of the river pretty much all the way up to Red Wing, which was our destination for the night. But I didn’t.

So when we left we stuck to US 61 all the way, on the west bank. All along the way I could see the road on the east bank and it sure looked like the much prettier, less busy highway. I kept thinking we would cross the river and take that road but we never did.

What did happen was we got into Lake City and a construction zone. Along the way we lost half the group so Bob pulled over to wait. They didn’t show up so Bob went back to look for them. He didn’t find them so we rode on, not hurrying. We pulled over at one point to get gas and Charley, after gassing up, was pulling his bike around to the shady side of the building and dropped it. Dang. No harm done. Then we saw the other guys pass by on the road so we knew they were OK. We pushed on into Red Wing, found our motel, and met up with the others.

It turned out that going through the construction zone someone had stopped suddenly in front of Mike, he had braked quickly, and Roy plowed into him. Again, no injuries, but some damage to Mike’s side bag. We were just glad to get to Red Wing, and Dave put his battery on a charger overnight, with everyone crossing their fingers.

Except Tim wasn’t there. I was out in the parking lot at 10 that night talking to Judy on the phone when I heard a bike and there was Tim, finally arriving. I didn’t talk to him then but the next day he told me he didn’t even get out of Davenport the previous morning when he wiped out on some gravel. With that and a few other issues he had had a very long day.

Biker Quote for Today

When you arise in the morning think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love, to ride a motorcycle.

Anywhere you go you’re going to see a variety of critters, many alive, and often many dead. What you don’t necessarily think about is how which critters you see varies in different parts of the country. That difference was really brought home to me on this recent Great River Road trip.

Around Colorado the most common road-kill you’ll see is probably rabbits, followed by deer. And that’s really true up in Wyoming. There was one time riding through Wyoming when we were seeing at least six dead rabbits every single mile. Bunny apocalypse. Carrion-eater paradise.

It’s different elsewhere.

I first started noticing the difference when we got to Missouri. I was born in Missouri and have been there many times in later life but I don’t really ever recall seeing armadillos. Well, I saw plenty of them this time, “sleeping by the roadside” as John’s wife Cheryl expresses it. And there were a lot of opossums, too. And skunks. Plus stuff I couldn’t identify.

But not all the critters were dead. Along one stretch of road in Missouri I spotted a little box turtle, about five inches long, diligently plodding its way across the road. Wow, how long has it been since I’ve seen a turtle in the wild? I wished it safe passage as I blasted past. Then, not too long afterward, I spotted another, also about in the center of the road, but this one was pulled into its shell, presumably scared by the bikes in front of me. I wished it well, too.

Birds showed their presence. On the third day, leaving Pere Marquette State Park, I was just cruising along when all of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, some big bird came soaring straight at me. I ducked to avoid it and in the one second or so that this whole encounter took I observed it desperately flare its wings to hit the brakes and then flap like crazy to dash off in a different direction. It probably came within about three feet of me.

A little later the same day I watched as another large bird swooped very close in front of Tom. Then a few days later a wild turkey made a mad dash across the road right in front of Charley.

The coolest of them all was also as we were heading north from Pere Marquette: a bald eagle came soaring out of the trees and hovered above the highway, giving us an excellent view of itself. I’ve never seen a bald eagle up that close in the wild ever before. Totally cool.

The farther north we rode the less we saw of wildlife. We were moving into cooler territory and I guess they weren’t all out of their winter homes yet. But man, along the river to the south it seems to be teeming with wildlife. I guess that should not be a surprise to anyone.

Biker Quote for Today

Yes it’s mine, and no, you can’t ride it.

A different kind of long day today on this Great River Road ride with the RMMRC. We left St. Charles in the cool of the morning, with mist over everything. Very magical. We rode to the river at Alton, where we crossed on a new bridge very unlike the old one I drove over tripping on acid 50 years ago. That’s a story but it doesn’t bear telling here.

Then we turned north on the road that runs right along the river—very nice. This is MO 100. There were high bluffs for miles and I was kicking myself for not having my camera at the ready. Another negative of riding with a group; on my own I would have stopped and gotten my camera out. We passed through Grafton, which looks touristy but interesting. Then on to Pere Marquette State Park where we stopped and checked out the rustic old lodge. This would be a nice place to bring your wife to if you’re into these sorts of things. It’s definitely on my list of places to visit with Judy.

We rode up to a viewpoint and that was where we lost Tom. When we were ready to go, he went along on the road we were on, while the rest of us backtracked. He expected it to come back to the lodge but in fact it comes out to the river about three miles further down. We never saw him the rest of the day. I don’t know if he doesn’t read maps well, didn’t know what the planned route was, or what. Reaching him later by phone we found that he was many miles away from where we were and he had just decided to head straight to Davenport, our night’s stop.

The rest of us rode on to Hannibal and had lunch. We came through some nice country, rode along the river at times, but didn’t see the river at all for much of the time. From Louisiana, Missouri, to Hannibal was the nicest part.

In Hannibal, after lunch, the plan had been to visit the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, which comprises several sites around the town but it was blazing hot and everyone wanted to just go on. Except me. I said I’ll see you later but the main site was swarming with school kids so I said forget this and headed out. I stopped at a former Suzuki dealer a little later and bought a new helmet because the one I had worn was literally falling to pieces.

I took what turned out to be a side trip over into Quincy but then crossed back into Illinois to follow US 61. A little further on I took the business route through La Grange and Canton, both right on the river and then followed the highways up to Keokuk. From Keokuk, on the Illinois side following IL 96 it was a nice road right along the river, going through some historic areas. I stopped in Nauvoo for an ice cream break. This was another of the questions I had asked the day before: Don’t you guys ever make a stop for ice cream? Heck the OFMC makes it a point to have an ice cream break pretty much every day. Ice cream is synonymous with motorcycle riding isn’t it?

Some of the group had talked about wanting to stop and see a lock and dam along the river. I have to admit, as much of my life as I lived along or near the Mississippi River I had no real idea that there were dams on this mighty river. That’s totally illogical because my uncle, who lived in Granite City, Illinois, worked at a lock there. But there are dams, a lot of them, on the Mississippi. I made it a point to sit on the shady side of the street in Nauvoo eating my ice cream in case I had passed the other guys and they should just happen to come along at that time. It didn’t happen, at least in part because they never did stop at a lock, though we came past several of them.

From Nauvoo I mostly followed signs for the Great River Road and some of it was very nice but some not worth it. I was really glad to reach the hotel and get a shower. And good to relax and have a beer. This was not a 450-mile day again but it was darn near a 400-mile day by the time it was over. That’s a lot of riding and I was just glad to have taken the second part of the day at my own pace.

Biker Quote for Today

Knock knock! Who’s there? Iona. Iona who? Iona brand new motorcycle, wanna go for a ride?

We left McPherson, Kansas, very early with a lot more miles to cover this second day of the Great River Road Ride. Riding in early morning is frequently magical and it was this day. Plus, eastern Kansas is a lot prettier than the western portion. Winding through emerald green hills broken by the jagged red clay banks of little streams it was absolutely beautiful.

Crossing into Missouri we followed smaller roads all the way across the state. From Jefferson City we followed MO 94, which follows the Missouri River. Judy and I drove this road the other direction just last year and I knew it was a nice road. I did not remember that there were considerable stretches that were hilly and twisty and perfectly designed for motorcycles.

I was riding second behind Dave and we got into the good stuff and he cranked it up, as he typically will do. I am not an aggressive rider normally but in this case I did not want to hold up everyone behind me, plus, I figured my V-Strom has to be more agile than his big honking Beemer so if he can take this road at a rapid clip I can, too. And I did. I kept tightly with him every mile of the way and you know what? It was fun. It was a lot of fun. That evening on our way to dinner he told me “You did some fine riding today.” I knew that, and I know that I’m probably a better rider than a lot of folks, but it feels good to have that competence recognized by someone who is himself an excellent rider.

At one point Dave made a wrong turn and I’m guessing his GPS told him we could get back on track if we just took this one small road a few miles. We turned off and paused. Initially at least it was gravel. I was on the V-Strom so no problem for me but I wondered about the others. We continued and so did they and we reached pavement in just a few miles and all was well. Then we were back into the twisties. And who knew these Missouri hills were so full of wineries?

By this time we had come a long way and I know I was long past wishing for a stop. We came by several places I felt were perfect to pull over for a while and I was praying Dave would take them but no, he kept cruising. And then we were into the mess of suburban St. Louis afternoon commuter traffic. A couple more navigational glitches slowed us down more and even put us a bit at hazard but we finally worked our way into St. Charles, our stop for the night. Oh man, another 455 miles on top of the 470 the day before. Let me off this bike!

Biker Quote for Today

You can’t ride all day if you don’t start in the morning.

Eight riders from the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Riders Club (RMMRC), including me, headed out on this approximately 3,150-mile ride. Gathering very early on a cold Monday morning at Patty Ann’s in Kiowa, we set out to reach the Mississippi River at Alton, Illinois, and follow the river upstream to its headwaters at Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park in Minnesota. The series of roads from New Orleans to the headwaters is known collectively as the Great River Road.

My own journey to departure was anything but smooth. I planned to ride the Concours and the day before was performing standard pre-trip maintenance. Checking tire pressure I found that the valve stem on my rear tire was totally rotted out. Somehow the tire still holds air, though low, but when I tried putting air in it took a bit and then started blowing back just as much as was going in. This was Sunday and I needed to be rolling by about 6 a.m. the following day–no way to get it fixed.

Fortunately that’s not my only motorcycle. I moved all my gear from the Kawi bags and loaded the V-Strom bags. Now I was ready to go. I thought.

Monday morning I went to load the bags on the bike and found that two mounting bolts for my left bag were absent. One had already fallen off some time before but things still worked fine with the other and the latch in the middle on top that held it securely in place. But there was no way I was going to trust that latch all by itself with no lower support.

Of course I’m a certified holder of a man card so I have various containers of random nuts and bolts. I fished around and found four that fit. I screwed two in and put the other two in my pocket in case I needed them. Now I was ready to go.

The temperature at this point was about 40 degrees so I was fully dressed in my warmest gear, with the exception of my heated gloves. I had those but figured I could get to Kiowa without them even if it was very cold. And if it was all that cold I could then put them on before we left Kiowa. And yes, my hands did turn to ice but it was warm enough when we left that I didn’t put on the heated gloves and never did need them after that.

The ride down to Kiowa was very interesting. About the time I reached the Pinery there was fog down in the low-lying area to the west of the road. Very unusual for Colorado. And then as I continued the fog enveloped the road and I rode through it all the way to Franktown. It cleared at Franktown but then there was more on the way east on CO 86 to Kiowa. Very cool, very odd.

We had breakfast and headed out. The route was 86 to I-70 just west of Limon and then southeast on US 287. On that southeasterly stretch we encountered fierce winds out of the southwest, which is to say, at 90 degrees to us. I leaned that bike over so far that my left hand was directly in front of me and all I could see in my left mirror was my shoulder and chest. That wind never let up all day but at least once we turned due east it was not bad, mostly at our back. That is, until we got near McPherson, at which point the wind shifted to the south and so we were blasted again.

Turning south at Kit Carson, we then headed east on CO 96, which becomes KS 96 across the state line. None of us had ever been on this road before and it annoyed me to be with the group because I’ve been trying for years to get photos at all the state line crossing around the state. But I blew right through this one without stopping. That’s one reason I really prefer to travel alone.

KS 96 goes straight across Kansas to McPherson, our first night’s stop. The temperature rose, a lot. By the time we reached McPherson I was sweating profusely and had been drinking Gatorade to stay hydrated. Along the way we stopped once for gas and again for gas and lunch. That’s 421 miles with two stops, another reason I prefer to travel alone. One of those legs was 180 miles and I was dying. I’m sorry, I just don’t like that kind of riding. And I was not the only one unhappy with this; this would become an issue as the trip progressed. But the two main leaders on this ride, Bob and Dave, are both Iron Butt types and they don’t like to stop any more than necessary. I’d say stretching your legs and getting your butt off the bike for a while is necessary.

Nobody is right or wrong here, it’s just different preferences. I think in future rides I’m going to do what I can to make sure less aggressive riders like me have options. We had intended to ride in two groups but after several others dropped out the decision was made to go in one group. I suspect two groups, even if small, would have been better with one consisting of those of us who don’t care if we reach the day’s destination half an hour or an hour later. It’s not like we have a deadline.

So that was Day 1. I’ll pick back up with Day 2.

Biker Quote for Today

Any day is a good day to leave some miles behind.

As the day for our departure on the RMMRC’s Great River Road ride I’ve been hearing from Roy, who is the group’s mother hen. Come over and get this packet of information he called me twice to request. So I did.

I’m not exactly new to long motorcycle trips, having been doing them every year with the OFMC for more than 30 years. But this will be my first long trip with the RMMRC. So this is the first time I’ve seen this sheet.

Roy gave me this legal-size page with a lot of info on it, including the names and cellphone numbers of everyone going. Good to have. It also has “The 12 Commandments of Group Riding” and information on all our motels along the way. And then there’s “The RMMRC Emergency Road Pack.” This list, divided into “must,” “should,” and “handy for emergencies,” has about anything you could think of, and maybe some you wouldn’t think of. I’m just going to give you the list, rearranged into the three groupings.

Must

• Copy of M.C. registration and proof of insurance in Ziploc bag: Keep on bike.
• Waterproof list of emergency contact numbers: Also cell #s of group riding.
• Tire gauge: Check tires before riding and needed for other list items.
• Valve core cap that can remove the core: Needed for other list items.
• Cellphone with 12V and 120V chargers: Will need in emergency.
• Spare ignition key hidden on bike–don’t forget where: a must.
• Camping tie-down straps: Long straps from BMW dealer or camping stores.
• Pressured tire sealer–Slime: Carry both for different conditions.
• Tubeless tire plug kit–mushroom type is best: Follow instructions closely.
• 12V air pump with correct plug or alligator clips: Test connectors.
• Side stand foot pad with cord for soft ground or asphalt. Use cord on handlebar.
• Water bottle: A must for long hot days!

OK, that group is definitely looking at emergency needs. I personally carry six of those items normally. I’ll think about some of the others.

Should

• Hand sanitizer and hand towels: Need for tire repair.
• Flashlight with fresh batteries–LED lasts longer: Test before long trip.
• Bike cover and old T-shirt: Pull T-shirt over windshield to protect.
• Zip ties various sizes long and short: Have gotten many riders home.
• Stainless steel zip ties long–Harbor Freight: Great for broken mounts/brackets.
• Duct tape, gorilla tape: A small amount of each.
• Baling wire or hanger wire: Around a tool or in a bag.
• Pliers with side cutters and/or vise grips: A must for working with the wire.
• Inner tire patch kit with glue: In case of a larger tear in the tire wall.
• Short tire irons (2) and extension tube tubular socket or short pipe with irons.
• Used inner tube from dealer for emergencies: Dealers throw away old inner tubes.
• Combination cable lock–no keys: Secure your jacket and helmet when parked.
• Windscreen cleaner and polish and cloth.
• First-aid kit–small: Basic kit, carry in tank bag or handy spot.
• Leaf bags large–2: Cheap, compact and have many uses.

And again, I normally carry six of those things. Truth be told, if I had a flat I would not know how to fix it so I’ve never bothered with these things. And the one time I did have a flat the tire was beyond repair, even for a short distance.

Handy for Emergencies

• MOA Anonymous Book: Worth the membership and lots of helpful folks. (OK, this is a BMW-specific thing here.)
• Small metric socket set: Handle and only sizes for your MC.
• Home-made jumper cables with alligator clips 8 to 10 feet long: Cheap to make.
• Small siphon pump with pump: Cheap at Walmart and worth it.

The only thing in that list I carry is the wrenches. But I do carry a length of tubing on all my bikes in case transferring of fuel is needed. Does that siphon pump come with a long hose? If not you’d better add that. Maybe that was supposed to read “Small siphon pump with hose.” And by the way, I’ve never had to pull out my tubes. We just make sure not to run out of gas.

As I say, this is not my first long trip but I will think about adding at least a few of the many items I don’t currently carry. Of course, the good thing about traveling with a good-sized group is that if you don’t have an item there’s a good chance someone else does. I don’t think we all need to carry every one of these items. Looking forward to this trip.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if the last time you went to the Harley dealer you came home with golf balls and a toilet seat.

I got an email from Anthony asking for some suggestions on a three-day ride across Colorado from Durango into Wyoming. Here’s what I mapped out for him.

From Durango I think it’s a no-brainer to head north on US 550 over Red Mountain Pass to Ouray. That’s one of the nicest stretches of road in all of Colorado. On to Ridgway and then, just a short distance north of Ridgway you could get off on County Road 10 for some gravel roads. Follow it till it meets up with County Road 8, and then CR 860 over to CR 858 up by Silver Jack Reservoir. You’ll go close to Court House Mountain, which is impressive. You’re headed for Owl Creek Pass, so I think there are signs. Then head north on CR 858 all the way to where you hit US 50 at Pleasant Valley. Take US 50 on into Gunnison for the night.

Next day I’d ride north out of Gunnison to Crested Butte and then take the Kebler Pass road (also gravel, but very good gravel) over to CO 133 at Kebler Corner. Take a right and go over McClure Pass and down to Carbondale, then another right on CO 82 to Aspen and on over Independence Pass. Just past Twin Peaks you’ll hit US 24, which you can take on into Leadville for the night.

Next day take US 24 over Tennessee Pass down to Minturn and I-70. Jump briefly on I-70 west to Wolcott and then go north on CO 131, which will take you all the way up to Steamboat Springs, for your third night. The next day, to get into Wyoming, I’d suggest going out by the Steamboat airport and taking CR 129 (some paved, some gravel) all the way up into Wyoming, hitting WY 70 up near Savery. Unless you’re intending to head west it’s then a good ride northeast on WY 70 over to Encampment and Riverside.

From Durango to where you would meet up with WY 70 this looks like about 500 miles spread over three days. That might not sound like a lot but mountain miles are a lot slower than flatland miles. Plus, you’ll want to stop and take it all in probably a bunch of times. I mean, why be in a hurry?

There would be a number of possible alternatives in case this sort of route doesn’t quite jibe with what you’re looking for. If so, feel free to ask me about them and I’ll be glad to give you my thoughts.

Have a great trip.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if you need a biker lingo book.

OK, I guess it’s definite. I’m going with the RMMRC on the Great River Road Ride in May.

The river in question is the Mississippi River. The Great River Road is a series of roads that follow the river from New Orleans up to the headwaters in Minnesota. Judy and I took a portion of the road when we were in New Orleans two years ago and found that end of it totally boring. All you did was ride alongside the levee for mile after mile and you’d never even see the river. So forget that.

What we will do is blast in two days hard riding over to meet the Mississippi at St. Charles, MO. Presumably the upstream portion of this route will be much nicer than the downstream portion.

From St. Charles we’ll make stops at Davenport, IA; Red Wing, MN; South Haven, MN; Detroit Lakes, MN; and then Yankton, SD, and McCook, NE, on the way back. The stop in South Haven will be with the sister of one of the riders and we’ll stay two nights so as to have a day off the bikes and relax. Total mileage will be about 2,800. Nine days.

Although it’s not an excessively large group–about nine so far–Charlie, who set it up, has taken the approach of each person riding individually and then all gathering in one place in the evening. Basically, Charlie doesn’t like riding in large groups and I’m with him. So a list is being compiled of a variety of points of interest along the way and the idea is that each person plots out his or her day to make the stops that interest them.

I’m sure many people will be riding together; it’s not like we’ll each and every one of us go in a different direction each day. But I like this idea. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been riding with the OFMC, and even with the RMMRC, when I have wanted to stop somewhere but didn’t because I didn’t want to hold up the whole group. This kind of arrangement suits me just fine.

If this kind of ride interests you I’d suggest you consider coming along. All you have to do is go to the Meet-Up site and join the RMMRC ($12/year) and then you’re in a group that does a lot of riding. As an example, if you’re really into distance riding to exotic places, there’s another ride being planned this summer up to Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territory. That’s a serious ride.

I’m pretty sure I’m not going on that ride but I definitely am going up the river. Oh boy.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 3. We always have helmet hair.