Monday, September 10, 2018

Big Iron...


Probably not the description most would use for a Vespa.  ;-)  With our group today, my GTS was "the big bike."

Gearing up...


We met Dan and Candice just off Highway 16...


Rolling up the long, steep hill on Highway 16...


A loose plan for the day: let's head north and ride through Vanocker Canyon.  Cruising through Rapid City...


Yeah, a pretty rough-looking scooter gang.  Or not.

Heading west on Rimrock Highway, Candice in a tuck for less wind resistance...


Joan was in the lead on this stretch and signaled for us to slow down - deer running across the road...


We turned onto Norris Peak Road, the first of the fun twisties...



Nemo Road and into Vanocker Canyon...




A gas stop just outside of Sturgis...


Now what?  I suggested we stop and play tourist at the Sturgis sign...




Joan suggested we head to Deadwood for lunch.  Agreed.  We rode through downtown Sturgis and out Boulder Canyon...




Lunch at a Mexican Restaurant in one of the casinos...


Well, we're this close, we might as well ride through Spearfish Canyon...


It's a long steep climb up the road that runs by Terry Peak when you leave Spearfish Canyon.  You really see the difference in performance with the different size scoots on a climb like this - I was glad to be on the Vespa... and twisting the throttle on all 22 horsepower.  ;-)

More decisions: Highway 385 or back through "the canyons"... yep, the canyons.  Back down Boulder Canyon, through Sturgis once again, and out Vanocker Canyon...




It turned out to be a long riding day: about 180 miles for us, closer to 220+ for Dan and Candice, since they rode north to meet up with us.

It isn't far from Highway 16 to Hart Ranch - we invited Dan and Candice back to our motorhome for some soda and the chance to sit in something besides a scooter seat.  And, of course, the opportunity to meet Rufus.  And the opportunity to visit.  Riding is fun, but no chance to talk back and forth.  Nice folks.

The weather was pleasantly warm, but the weasels missed the wind forecast: they were predicting 10 to 12 mph... for much of the ride it was blowing more than 20.  You feel that on 4 reasonably light weight scooters - everybody did fine with it.


2 comments:

Hudson River Boater said...

Are you going to see any of Florence? What are the Weasels saying about it were you are??

Captain Jim and the Blonde said...

No. We are currently 2/3 of the way across the country from the east coast. We are keeping an eye out on other activity in the Atlantic and Gulf, since we'll be heading south soon.