09JT Day 4 Sturgis, Enchanted Highway

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26 JUNE 2009 Friday

The main goal for the day was to see the Enchanted Highway. The Enchanted Highway is the county road between Gladstone ND and Regent ND.

Second camera is a bust. Won’t save files anymore. I don’t have a simple SD card to make sure it is not a SD card failure, all I have is the newer HCSD cards. Bummer it is smaller and fits in a jacket or pants pocket.

Spearfish to Sturgis, bought a couple shirts at a bargin shop. 3 for $25. She threw in 2 bandanas. Dealer shirts were $39 ea I passed on getting any. I am really looking forward to the enchanted highway.

The forecast was for thunderstorms in ND, I knew that heading up there. The ride was great. I got to Regent with no problems. A stop at the gift shop for a refrigerator magnet and ice cream then up the Enchanted highway. The Enchanted highway is a small county road that Regent has transformed into tourist attraction, and its working. On the Friday that I was there the guest book had more than 8 groups through that day and it was just 12:30. The town of Regent is very small. It had a café but not too much more. I was almost all the way through the EH before the weather got really bad. I didn’t even attempt to stop at the Deer jumping the fence or the Geese in flight displays. The wind and rain were just too hard. As I sped past the Deer display I saw a large motorcycle and trailer parked there, amazed that it was not blown over. The displays were awesome. It was worth the trip up here to see them.

It had been a good day for riding at least most of it. The last was a bit hairy as I was playing tag with a severe thunderstorm. It spawned 2 tornados in the area surrounding where I stayed for the night. I managed to get 10 minutes ahead of the storm about the same time I was in need of a refuel, that is what had played out before then after a refuel I was back in the storm. This time I was just going to find a motel. The same exit that had 2 gas stations also had a little motel, the Arrowhead Inn (N46 51.525 W101 25.058), with the big overhangs that make such a lovely carport. A quick drive around the back of motel to make sure they were available there and I stopped at the office.

I asked what the rate was ($54) then telling them that I wanted a room in the back and to park under the over hang they were very happy to accommodate me. I told the clerk I was moments ahead of a storm and she worked quickly. It was a calm day at the moment. I think she might have thought I was kidding. I pulled around back and had not even started to unload when it started to hit. People were scurrying for cover as a dust cloud came, mostly due to gravel parking lots at the motel and the café next door. I quickly unloaded the bike and closed the door of my room. I was confident that Effie would not blow over from the wind. The motel was new. I always see how clean a room is by looking in the corners of the bathroom floor. They were pristine. I called the office and asked if anyone delivered food but alas no. I got back in my raincoat and headed to the café next door, ordering the pork chops. While there the bad part of the storm came through. The waitress was abuzz as a tornado was sighted to the south of us and headed our way. Now every thing in our area was blowing straight south. So I doubted that a tornado could come in against the already fierce wind from the north. But the tornado was due in 10 minutes. I called Carol to tell her that I had made it to New Salem ND, home of the worlds largest Holstein cow. 10 minutes came and went, it was reported that the tornado was tracked south east of town. But yet another one was reported northeast at another town. As we watched out the window signs were blowing over and the interstate was clearing of traffic as the café and surrounding business became more and more full. The food was good and by the time I finished my meal the storm was just a heavy rain. I headed back to the motel and continued my nightly ritual of downloading my pictures and writing some notes of the days travel.

Effie’s Odometer: 115090
1719.1 Trip Miles
314 MILES FOR THE DAY

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