The Banks Tour Return - North To Alaska

[Solarmoose]

Day 9 05022012 - of the moon
Wednesday

We start this day in bright sunshine in Boise. I hook up my new GS-911 code
reader to the GT and clear the pad worn-out light since the pads are ok but
cannot clear the Brake Failure error, that indicates it cannot communicate
with the ABS front wheel sensor. Its what I figured since that wire probably
got damaged during the last tire change. Its not a "show-stopper" as it means
I don't have ABS on the front brake, but then I've ridden for 40 years w/o
ABS. I'll deal with it when we get to Denver or maybe at home. I'm glad I
got the code reader.

First break stop to add back a layer, wasn't as warm as it looked.


We get off I84 and start up US26 to go to Craters of the Moon park.


Climbing up and cooling down. Altitude goes up, temps go down and down.


We stop at nice rest area for lunch. Idaho has great rest areas.


Next stop is


This is a cool place




the rock surfaces and light did weird things to my camera's light meter giving it a somewhat surreal look.




the lava cooled into strange shapes


















we never took off our "moon suites" or helmets when stopped, the wind
was blowing hard and it was cold. The people in cars did not get out for long.

Where's my Lunar Rover? I thought I left it parked around here somewhere.




We stop by the Visitor Center to see the displays and read the history.
When Cee tries to start her bike the ignition key will not turn. I get out
her spare key I keep on my bike, (she keeps my spare on hers) and it
won't turn either. Is this going to require a tow truck back to Boise?
I try giving it a lot more pressure and hope I don't break the key. These
keys are a pretty thick so hopefully not. Finally it turns and I work it
back and forth several times. Seems ok now. I had another bike do
this and the answer was to spray light lubricant into the keyhole and
work out the dirt that was making it stick. That ignition lock had a
weep-hole in the bottom. We'll pick up some spray lube tonight and
work on it later. Its working now.

On to Idaho Falls where we are now.


Mileage stats. Easy day.


Today, Thursday, we ride to Bozeman MT. Weather reports are not
good, lots of snow warnings in the passes and there are high passes no
matter which route we take. Cee spent a lot of time looking at the three possible
choices and we decide on one. North on US 20 to SR-87 to US 287 to
SR-84/US 191 into Bozeman. Only 200 miles so we'll start late and hope
for the best. We're both very familiar with snow, obviously, but it doesn't
mix with two-wheeled street bikes very well.

[AK Bob]

You both have official passes to miss BT.

Stay safe, Ken is at 5 days after his get off and slide, and is felling better.

Bob Da C
Your Alaska Airmarshal

[Solarmoose]

Originally Posted by AK Bob

You both have official passes to miss BT.

Stay safe, Ken is at 5 days after his get off and slide, and is felling better.

Bob Da C
Your Alaska Airmarshal

Thank you kind sir,
Cee says we shall drink a beer in your honor next Monday and will report back on our success.
We really do dislike missing the monthly BT. (thats Barley Therapy to the uninitiated readers)
Glad to hear Ken is better. Give our regards to all.

[Solarmoose]

Day10 05032012 - Weather or not

The day has a great start as its mostly sunny In Idaho Falls and in the 60's
when we leave to ride up US 20.


Not far north, as we get into the hills, the sun disappears behind the clouds


That must have been a lot of work to build


Stopping for a cofffee break just over the pass we marvel at the nice
temperatures we have seen today. It never got below 49F in the pass at 6800'


Some history on the Madison valley we are traversing through


We see heavy rain/snow clouds to our left and right but never over us!
Cee picked the right route for today's trek.


having fun


yep, warmer than the forecasts said


We arrive in Bozeman and meet up with the kids for dinner. It was a very nice ride today.


Highway 84 into Bozeman was a lot of fun, some great twisties and a few
long sections that the GT decided to take advantage of...

[eujane]

Forgot to click on your link! Glad to find you again and follow your travels! Say HI to the family! How exciting for Marc to move back to Alaska!

Keep Safe! Love,
Jane & Gene

[QCORider]

Originally Posted by eujane

Forgot to click on your link! Glad to find you again and follow your travels! Say HI to the family! How exciting for Marc to move back to Alaska!

Keep Safe! Love,
Jane & Gene

Just a quick note and correction. It's going to be Craig and his wife that are looking at moving back to Alaska. Marc (that's me) and wife are staying in the Denver area. However, we are always excited to get back to Alaska to see friends and family!

[Solarmoose]

Day 11 05042012
Today is a no ride day and we'll be here in Bozeman for four days to
visit with the kids and see them graduate from MSU. Craig and Emily have
a very nice salt-water aquarium:


and since they are moving the contents will travel in this which will maintain
water temp and necessary conditions while they drive to their new home.


We walked around the campus in the morning


and then in the afternoon we toured a brewery which was "supposedly" a
requirement of one of Craig's engineering classes.


Good beer.


and then looked at the completed trebuchet they had built, it worked very well!


And later in the evening our Denver son showed up giving Cee some much
needed grandma time with Kerra


tomorrow the kids go through commencement

[Solarmoose]

Day 12 05052012

Today's the big day when our son Craig and his wife Emily both graduate
from MSU. Emily's parents and Cee and I are very proud of these two!






Their friends had a party afterward with some very good eats!


Tomorrow (Sunday the 6th) we'll still be in Bozeman but Monday back on the road!

[Alcan Rider]

Hello Dave & Cee

Just spotted this in RR and will do my best to keep up with your travels as you take your looping trip back toward home.

Originally Posted by Solarmoose

I'll also say Mark Reis is a very competent technician and is a recommend
if you need motorcycle electrical work in the Seattle area. He knows his stuff!

Hopefully this will be the last issue with this.
Tomorrow we get new tires shod.

Haven't visited Mark in several years, but it sounds like he is still as good as ever, which is damned good at anything he touches.

Ride safe, enjoy yourselves - and don't hurry, it's snowing right now here in Glennallen.

[Solarmoose]

Day 15 05072012
Monday morning starts with bright sun though its cool at 40F when we
leave Bozeman. Today we'll ride to Helena to see friends who have recently
moved from Alaska.

My favorite sign


We stop to finish to our coffee and enjoy the morning




An hour or so later we arrive at Kevin and Annie's new place, its very nice. They are adv'ers too.


We go into town to see the capital buildings and artwork














After hours of grueling touring of the capital building we are rewarded at a local microbrewery


Good beer with good friends, always the best!

[Solarmoose]

Originally Posted by Alcan Rider

Hello Dave & Cee

Just spotted this in RR and will do my best to keep up with your travels as you take your looping trip back toward home.


Haven't visited Mark in several years, but it sounds like he is still as good as ever, which is damned good at anything he touches.

Ride safe, enjoy yourselves - and don't hurry, it's snowing right now here in Glennallen.

Hi Jack!

Snow? yikes. We've been close to snow too but trying to miss it.

I'll bet you've probably already ridden quite a bit by now, probably more
than the 1500 miles we've done on this trip so far.

[Solarmoose]

Day 15 05082012

We get a slow start waiting for temps to warm a bit, getting pictures:


and saying goodbyes but we'll see them in Fairbanks this summer as they
ride their bikes north. They've already done a monster ride this spring.


stop for lunch


lots of wide open spaces


long wait here


she's napping


its gotten very nice out with temperatures in the low 70's






Coming into Billings MT where we'll spend the evening.


another easy miles day


Tomorrow we'll stop at Little Big Horn and Devil's Tower National Monuments before heading toward Sturgis.

[Solarmoose]

Day 16 05092012
Today is the first day we've started in temps not in the 40's, in fact it was
almost 60 when we left Billings.


Our first stop




















A lot has been written about this place so I don't have much to add. The
visitors center was good though small and the memorial was well laid out.


And then we come to:




This is an impressive rock!




Zoomed into the top










Cool place, worth the trip.


A nice day with temps into the low 80's. We stopped in Sundance WY for the evening.

[Solarmoose]

Day 17 05102012

We left the Bear Lodge and Motel in Sundance WY in bright sun and warm
temperatures to rode into South Dakota.




We rode through Sturgis to see what it looks like since it is unlikely we will
ever be there during the rally.

Riding out of Sundance


Our first destination for the day


It costs $11 for each bike, same as a car, from the parking concession, a
change from the other National Monuments where motorcycles were half
the cost of a car at $5.

The famous view


up close with Roosevelt and Lincoln


Up close with Washington and Jefferson


Interesting to see the markings in the rock


But in the beginning it looked like this


the carvers tools




This talks about Borglums fun with NPS. Ask an Alaskan what he thinks of NPS and stand back.


I did not know about this




We enjoyed the visit to Mnt Rushmore. The grounds and buildings are
very elaborate, perhaps fitting for a presidential monument. The visitors center
provides good history on this project and the people involved.


next, Crazy Horse.

[Solarmoose]

Day 17 05102012 - continued

We rode the short distance from Rushmore to Crazy Horse on some very
nice roads. We should have planned to spend more time in this area since
the roads are absolutely great to ride on and we did not do them all. We
will come back.



Here it is, this is a work in progress


The envisioned statue


and the rear




in the beginning




The excavators look very small compared to the size of the job




And it is intended to do the backside too, these people think BIG


The large multi-building visitor center has a lot of artifacts, history and
recent art work on display. We took a bus tour up to the base of the
mountain which was very interesting. There are also artists on-site
working in their respective crafts. I really liked this place, its more inviting
and less grandiose which is how I reacted to Rushmore. The organization
has refused federal funding and I think that is a good move, for many
reasons. I want to come back here in several years to see progress
and maybe be around when a blast takes place. I watched blasting
during the construction of the Alaska oil pipeline and it was impressive
to see a mile long blast sequence take place opening up a ditch, (parts of
the pipeline are buried.) They had some videos of blasting at Crazy Horse
including a night-time blast that was spectacular.



Short ride today and we stay at a motel in Custer SD.


tomorrow we ride to see our kids in Denver