Can you send bail money?

 

I sent that question to Steph, along with this image...

 I expected a chuckle.  Or maybe a groan.  Nothing (crickets chirping).  Back when I was a kid, I have a similar photo with my Dad, taken at Okoboji.  Must be a family thing.  Yes, it's hokey.

We took the bikes to Sturgis today; had lunch at the Loud American Roadhouse... yes, we had steak tips.  Another family tradition.

We had a plan: take the side roads as far as we can, then get on the Interstate to Sturgis; have lunch; ride through Vanocker Canyon.  It wasn't a detailed plan.  The theme for the day: road construction!  The Interstate is tore up south of Sturgis on the east-bound lane - that means it is one lane in each direction on the west-bound side.  I sure hope they get that done before the Rally, or traffic is going to be snarled for miles.

Once in Sturgis, we had the aforementioned dining experience.  Took that photo.  And then this one...

It is a warm day: upper 80s to low 90s.  Too warm for a jacket.  But not too warm to shoot some video with my new camera.  We made a pass through downtown Sturgis to document what it looks like a month before the Rally, then headed for Vanocker Canyon.  But first - a stop for gas... I was happy with 75 mpg on the CTX, Joan whooped up on that with 105 mpg on the Xmax.

Vanocker Canyon Road was a gravel road when we first moved to the Black Hills in 1977.  Over the years, it has become an outstanding motorcycle road, with ups, downs, and twisties.  Beautiful scenery.  And no road construction.  For sheer riding enjoyment, this is as much fun as any of the great roads in the southern Black Hills (Custer State Park).

We turned left on Nemo Road, cruised through the small community of Nemo... and soon ran into more road construction.  That road has been in need of fixing up, and this is the year.  There was fresh blacktop (no lines painted, yet, and no shoulder put in (just loose dirt).

Further along on Nemo Road, it was down to a single lane with flagmen controlling the flow of traffic.  And more of the same further along.  And then: no lanes - gravel.  Neither of us are a fan.  From Nemo Road, a right turn onto Norris Peak Road.  There was a "Road Construction Ahead" sign... but we never saw any construction.

One more turn onto Rimrock Highway (Hwy 44) that takes us back into Rapid City.  And back to Hart Ranch.

And more video to edit.