Taylor made...

No, I didn't get fit for a new suit... that would be "tailor made."

Joan had an appointment for a hair cut (do women call it that?) today.  The plan: I would wander around downtown while she was at the styling salon.  As she was getting out of the car, she said, "You should go to Haggerty's and look around."

"That sounds like a good idea."  Haggerty's Musicworks is a music store in Rapid City.  They have a nice selection, especially Taylor Guitars...

A nice young man named Tanner asked if there was anything he could show me.  "No, I'm just entertaining myself while my wife is getting her hair done.  I'd just like to look around."

He said, "Pull some of those guitars off the wall and give them a try - we have some nice ones!"

Indeed, they do.

I still have some Taylors, but they don't get much playing time since I discovered carbon fiber guitars.  After playing a couple Taylors today (I was quite impressed with an 812ce 12-fret with an arm bevel), I am going to get a couple of them out of their cases when we get home... mix it up a bit with some carbon fiber and some wood.

No, I'm not in a hurry to get back.  ;-)

They said this would happen...

One of my physical therapists said this would happen.  Oh, I didn't believe him... seemed a bit far fetched.

Well, it happened yesterday.

What?  No, nothing bad.  After we got back from our ride yesterday afternoon, I put the bikes away.  I took my cane out of the bike and leaned it against the side of the trailer while I finished up.  Then, I went in the house.

It wasn't until last night, when Joan asked me to take the garbage out.  The garbage can is across the street and down one site.  On my way there, I walked past the cargo trailer and... there was my cane, still leaning against the trailer.

I used the cane while we walked around Sturgis.  There is uneven ground/flooring in the various vendor tents; I knew I would be doing some standing while we were looking at stuff... it is easier on my hip if I have the cane to lean against in this situation.

I didn't use it on my morning walk.  I didn't need it once we got home from our ride.  Yep, I put it down and forgot it.  I guess that's a sign that I don't need it (much) anymore.  Key word there is "much."

;-)

Sturgis preview...

It's interesting to go to Sturgis before the crowds roll in.  The vendors are still in the setting up process; those who are set up are very attentive as a potential customer walks into their tent... a week from now, they will be ass-deep in people wanting a T-shirt, and the customer attention will be a bit different.  We have a "shopping list": a Rally shirt each, and I would like a helmet slick (a beanie type thing to put on your head before you put your helmet on - it allows the helmet to slide on easier and keeps your head sweat from skanking up the helmet liner).

Getting ready to head out...

Rolling...

Rolling through a bit of Rapid City to get to the good roads...

It is about 30 miles from Hart Ranch to Sturgis.  If you take the "secret back roads," you can cut that down to about 60 miles... and get in some truly great riding.  OK, it isn't really a secret: once in Rapid City, go out Rimrock Highway to Norris Peak Road; take that to Nemo Road; take a right on Vanocker Canyon Road, and that takes you into Sturgis.  It is fun to ride these roads before the crazy Rally traffic arrives.  As you can see in the following photos, there is almost no traffic...

These roads are different from riding Iron Mountain Road and going through Custer State Park in the southern Hills - I consider Iron Mountain Road a "must ride" when in the Black Hills, but it is more of a novelty, with the pigtail bridges, one lane tunnels, switch backs, splits, and occasional peeks of Mt Rushmore.  On our ride today, the speed limits are higher and the curves are more "sweeping."  Oh, this isn't "easier" to ride, if you are doing it right; but you feel the pull as you lean into the corners and accelerate out on the other side.  This is about the riding.  Probably my favorite roads in the Black Hills (and that is saying a lot).

When you come out of Vanocker Canyon, you are in Sturgis...

The light traffic and empty streets will be a thing of the past in a few days; in the meantime, we get to enjoy this...

We parked the scoots and walked around town.  Less than half of the vendors are set up, but we had lots to pick from and could take our time looking around...

Sturgis is all about this week coming up.  There are statues here and there that convey what the Rally started out as...

Now, it is what I consider the world's biggest motorcycle flea market and t-shirt extravaganza...

That tent in the photo above is one of many set up all around town; the other 50 weeks of the year, that is an empty lot.  Walking through town before it is a jungle of vendors, we both commented that town looks good.  In a few days, it will be a sea of humanity in black t-shirts, and then 10 days later, it will look like Chernobyl after the meltdown: vendors packing up as fast as they can to get out of town and get to the next event.  There will be a lot of empty store fronts.

After finding what we wanted, we went to the Loud American Roadhouse for lunch.  I am a big fan of their steak tips, Joan went for a grilled chicken sandwich.  There will be all kinds of food booths set up around town - it was nice to get a table outside today and watch the light traffic flow by.

Then, time for us to head out...

We'll probably come up again sometime during the Rally, if we feel the need to see the crowds.  This is the 79th Rally... some people are saying the crowds will be lighter because some people will be waiting for the 80th next year.  Like it makes a difference?  Well, maybe it does... we were here for the 50th when the crowds went from 40 to 50 thousand to over 300,000 that year.  They've gotten bigger since, with most years in the 600 to 700 thousand range.  Any way you look at it, it is a LOT of people, a lot of motorcycles, and a lot of business being done.  As we walked by the "T-shirt Lady's corner" on Junction and Lazelle, we talked about when she was the only one in town selling Rally t-shirts back then (in the 70s).  It was before the Buffalo Chip Campground and all the other Rally campgrounds - most people camped in the city park.  Remind me to tell you about why they closed the city park to camping during the Rally and how the guy who first imagined the Buffalo Chip changed the Rally.

I didn't take many photos on the way home; just enjoyed the riding...

I may be making an understatement when I say the riding was spirited...

Morning observations (kid edition)...

A glorious morning in the Black Hills; 64º, sunny, low humidity, and a very light breeze.  Perfect for my morning walk.  Even though it is before 8:00, there is activity: people getting their RVs ready to roll, people walking dogs, washing cars, and a couple other walkers.

As I was walking by one RV, there were two young girls getting on bicycles...
Girl 1: "I'm taking my iPad on my bike."
Girl 2: "Why?"
1: "Because it's cool."
2: "I have an iPad, too, but I won't use it on my bike - I don't wanna crash."
1: "I can ride my bike with one hand."
2: "How are you going to use your iPad with one hand?"

We are raising a generation of distracted drivers.

Walking by one travel trailer, I counted 9 bicycles outside.  No one outside, so I have to assume they were all in there.  To be fair, the two adult bicycles had kid carriers on them, so there could be 11 people in that trailer.  I can't even imagine.

As I walked by a motorhome with a large cargo trailer behind it blocking the street, I could see that they were going to load their Smart Car in the trailer.  The guy said to me, "I hope I can clear that garbage can."  (It was on the other side of the street.)

I asked, "Would you like me to spot for you?"

He said, "That would be great - thanks!"

He cleared the garbage can by at least 10 feet.  Spacial awareness.

Back at the motorhome, I sat for a bit, had some water, then went out on the bicycle.  The riding feels good.  I rode by a young boy on a bicycle... he stared for a bit, then said, "I've never seen an old guy on a little bike."  (I'm riding my small folder - I don't think he had seen a folder before.)  Then he said, "My Mom and Dad are too old to ride a bike."  I had no words of wisdom for him, but I felt better when he lumped me into the age category of his parents.

Back home again, and Rufus wanted to go outside.  I'm sitting on the patio writing this while he wanders (on his leash) in the grass.  When he's done with that, he's content to sit in a camp chair and watch the activity pass by.  Me, too.  Until it's time for breakfast.  ;-)

Some days you're the statue...

Some days you're the pigeon.

When I got up this morning, the young weather weasel on the local channel was lamenting about "how dry" it is... "zero percent chance of precipitation.  About 2 minutes later it started to rain.  Just a sprinkle at first, then in came down heavy.  Apparently, they have no windows in the TV studio.

When it quit raining, I went for my morning walk.  No cane.  Dodging puddles, but the rain had stopped.  None of that sun, though, that the weasel said we'd see.  Still, a pleasant day; it was 58º when I got up this morning, and only 59º an hour later when I went for a walk.

After showers and breakfast, we took the CR-V into town.  Joan had some shopping and we discussed stopping at a motorcycle shop here to see if they had a scooter that she might be interested in.  When we asked the young man in the shop if they had a Yamaha Xmax in stock, he had a look of disbelief on his face... "An Xmax?  Um, we just sold the one we had last week..."

There isn't much of a scooter culture in the Black Hills.  Harleys?  Yes.  Indians?  They have the biggest dealer in the country in Sturgis.  Sport bikes, all the major brands?  Indeed.  But, if a dealer here has a scooter, it is sitting back against the wall.  I get that.  There are places where scooters are popular; this area isn't one of those places.

I did do something in that shop that I haven't done in a long time... I tossed a leg over a low-slung Triumph Bobber.  Really, I haven't been able to toss a leg over any motorcycle in years.  It was kind of a big deal to me.  No, I don't want another motorcycle - I just wanted to know if I could do it.  With that confidence, I tried my leg over a taller cruiser... "Yeow - that hurts!"  I need to get back to my Vespa.

With shopping done, we went out for lunch; then, back to the motorhome, where I got the scoots out.  I had a half hour on my own, messing with the GoPro and my phone, to make sure everything was working like it should.  Yep.

We geared up for riding, I turned on the phone and the GoPro, and... they must have been having a bit of a spat.  They weren't talking.  No amount of "counseling" on my part get them together.  I thought it might be taking a photo without showing me a preview... but, I was wrong.  I got two crappy photos before we were a mile out, and then nothing...

It was still mostly cloudy, but a lovely temp in the mid-70s.  We had not destination in mind, just wanted to ride a bit.  We ran through all the twisties (photos would have been cool, if the GoPro didn't suck ass), then turned onto the back county road that would take us mid-way to Iron Mountain Road.  Hey, look: cows!  On the road!  I was staring face to face with a cow... now, I know these are not bright animals... I was concerned it might just amble over and rub against the Vespa.  I honked, and it turned away and moved off the road.  A few hundred yards down the road, the rest of the herd was moving across the road.  Good thing we didn't come around that corner at speed - you might slip on the cow shit in the road and run into one of these dumb beasts.

We got to Iron Mountain Road... Look - they painted center lines on the road!  Yeah!  About two miles on the road, we got behind a bunch of Harleys that were stopped.  As they moved ahead slowly, we fell in line with them... and the dozens of cars and pickups ahead of them.  Oh, shit - they are just now painting the yellow lines, and traffic is backed up as far ahead as we can see.  It took us about a half hour to go two miles, then we made a U-turn and headed back to that county road.  And our cow buddies.

Past that, it was another 10 miles or so of twisties and then to the highway to get some gas.  Joan got an incredible 120 miles per gallon on the red PCX, I got nearly 85 mpg on the Vespa.  This is better mileage than we get anywhere else we ride.

Then, back home.  For some patio time with Rufus.  And the chance to check the card on that ass-sucking GoPro to find out I didn't get any photos of the yellow line, the crowd of bikes and cars in front of us, or the cows.  You'll have to use your imagination.

Gotta try it out...

Joan said, "I'm guessing you want to try out your new helmet today?"

"Well, yeah!"  ;-)

The weasels are calling for gusty winds today, so I suggested that we stay on curvy roads... really, no ulterior motives for me.  Most of the roads we like to ride on around here are curvy.

We geared up and headed out.  I started with the helmet as a 3/4, with the chin bar off... comfortable, nice visibility, but I could hear more engine noise than with my other helmet.  Engine noise... on a Vespa... in an area with more Harleys per square mile than any place else on Earth right now.  LOL

We stopped for a moment while I put the chin bar on; two clicks and we're ready to roll again...

We were cruising through the curves, and then...

Yep, a truck with a pickup camper ahead.  Damn RVers...

We went slow for a while, then turned onto Iron Mountain Road...

No center lines, yet, not much traffic.  Good riding.  Until...

A dumbass gathering ahead: the bus driver had come through the single lane tunnel, then parked on the wrong side of the road.  The dumas in the Toyota pickup pulled out without looking and damn near ran head-on into another truck coming around the bus.  It was a stand-off: neither truck was going to give.  The Toyota driver finally figured out that unless he backed up, nobody was going anywhere.  When it was our turn to go through that single lane tunnel, there was a guy on a Harley in front of us... when another dumbass in a pickup decided that he was going to make it a two-lane tunnel!  I guess he didn't understand SINGLE LANE or waiting his turn... just barely enough room to get by him, since we were already more than half way through the tunnel.  No, I didn't get a photo - I was making sure my handlebars didn't scrape the side of the tunnel.  People get stupid when they're on vacation; getting a good close look at the idiot in the on-coming truck, it was very apparent that he wasn't riled up about waiting - he was just oblivious. 

Occasional views of Mt Rushmore through openings in the trees on the other side of the tunnel.

We were stuck behind the Toyota dumbass for a bit, but fortunately he turned into a scenic turnout...

Back to the road...

I suggested we stop in Keystone at the DQ - it isn't just a "Texas stop sign"...

We refreshed ourselves with a new treat with brownies and Oreo bits.  And ice cream.  Yeah, we split it.  Proof that I was along, and wearing my new helmet...

Through Keystone...

The fun twisty back roads back to Hart Ranch...

We put the bikes on the patio to let them cool down before I checked oil and tire pressures, then put them back in their "portable garage."

Some fine riding again today, and enough time with the new helmet to know it is a keeper.