Work trip to Minnesota

[keithu]

I have to be in Minnesota for work during the next two weeks, and I was on vacation last week so I decided to turn the work trip into a motorcycle tour. My three day route would take me from Oregon through Miles City, Montana to visit family, and then on to my Mom's house in a Minneapolis suburb.

Wednesday morning I left Albany and just took I-5 and I-84 to Hermiston. There I left the interstate on US-730 to follow the Columbia River for a bit, and then I took US-12 through southeast Washington's fertile Walla Walla farm lands.

The wheat harvest was in full swing and I passed some combines working precariously steep side hills.

I continued on US-12 over Lolo Pass and ended the day in Missoula after 640 miles. The last time I experienced Lolo Pass was about 40 years ago in the back seat of my Dad's Audi; he was enjoying himself so I was car sick. This time was a lot better.

[keithu]

I departed the hotel early Thursday and took MT-200 east through mountains and rivers into the dry expanse of central Montana.

At Jordan I turned south on MT-59 and arrived in Miles City after a relatively quick 500 miles.

All along MT-200 and MT-59 I kept feeling things hitting my boots. They were grasshoppers, hundreds of them. They jumped up just high enough to splatter my engine and boots even though the windshield stayed relatively clean. By Miles City my boots were about a pound heavier due to all the caked on grasshopper guts.

I had time for a quick shower at Aunt Sue's house before the cousins and their kids came over for dinner and beers. A thunderstorm rumbled through town while we lounged in the screen porch and caught up on family news.

[keithu]

Friday was a 700 mile interstate slog across North Dakota to Minnesota. As I merged onto I-94 in Miles City the GPS told me my next turn was an exit 661 miles ahead. Interstates aren't normally my favorite way to tour, but North Dakota is, well, North Dakota. Might as well get it over with.

The Great Plains are beautiful even though the roads aren't the most interesting. And there is the world's largest Holstein cow.

After Bismark some clouds started to gather, and soon I was riding on damp pavement with black skies ahead. I was catching up to the storm that hit Miles City the night before, but it was moving fast so this chase went on for hours. A vicious cross wind had my fuel economy drop to 36-38mpg at 80mph. But when the highway veered southeast at Fargo and entered Minnesota the air became dead calm and my fuel economy shot up to 53mpg. I was now riding a strong tail wind as I watched lightning flash across the sky just ahead and to the east. Finally at St. Cloud I hit some rain, just enough to wash most of the grasshopper guts off my bike and boots before pulling into Mom's garage.

I covered 1840 miles over the three days. The cruise control, aux fuel, windshield, and custom seat made it an easy cruise. I didn't take a lot of photos, but I have a different route planned for when I return west late next week.

[betoney]

47 minutes ago, keithu said:

Wednesday morning I left Albany and just took I-5 and I-84 to Hermiston. There I left the interstate on US-730 to follow the Columbia River for a bit, and then I took US-12 through southeast Washington's fertile Walla Walla farm lands.

The wheat harvest was in full swing and I passed some combines working precariously steep side hills.

I continued on US-12 over Lolo Pass and ended the day in Missoula after 640 miles. The last time I experienced Lolo Pass was about 40 years ago in the back seat of my Dad's Audi; he was enjoying himself so I was car sick. This time was a lot better.

 

Columbia River Gorge, The Palouse in SE Washington AND Lolo Pass in one Day? - FANTASTIC!!! 😎👍

[Stew]

That sounds like an amazing ride. (even the grasshopper bit, it is all part of the experience after all)
99 mile winding road ahead , a motorcycle theme park for free.

[AdvRich]

8 hours ago, keithu said:

The last time I experienced Lolo Pass was about 40 years ago in the back seat of my Dad's Audi; he was enjoying himself so I was car sick. This time was a lot better.

🤣 

[keithu]

I'm still in Minnesota, but here's a 30 year challenge. The first photo is from a tour I took in 1990, the second is from last week. I'm on a much better bike now!

[knyte]

Wow, great pics and story!  That fuel cell is so bad-ass

Glad to hear you made the best of it!!

[Stew]

4 minutes ago, knyte said:

Wow, great pics and story!  That fuel cell is so bad-ass

Glad to hear you made the best of it!!

Aye, some proper custom work on the bike to suit the rider. Very impressed.

[betoney]

@keithu - Very cool to be able to take the same photo 30 years later.

Only question remains... how adventurous will the return trip be?

[keithu]

5 hours ago, betoney said:

@keithu - Very cool to be able to take the same photo 30 years later.

Only question remains... how adventurous will the return trip be?

I'm working through Wednesday, so my plan is to leave Thursday and first head north to Duluth. After a visit to Aerostich, I'm going to take US-2 across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. I hope to ride Going to the Sun Road in Glacier NP, and then somehow make my way back home.

[keithu]

Apologies up front for the non-moto content, but I have the weekend off so today we took my Mom's classic Rambler to a local car show. There haven't been a lot of shows this year but this one had good turnout.

My Mom's 1967 Rambler Rebel SST convertible. You don't see these every day:

 

Good turnout overall.

 

Mom and I enjoy the show safety.

 

A Fuzzbuster! Remember those? Maybe I need one for the ride home next week.

[betoney]

9 minutes ago, keithu said:

I'm working through Wednesday, so my plan is to leave Thursday and first head north to Duluth. After a visit to Aerostich, I'm going to take US-2 across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana. I hope to ride Going to the Sun Road in Glacier NP, and then somehow make my way back home.

 

From Kalispell, you could head South on 93 to Challis and then Stanley, Lowman and Garden Valley. 👍

[keithu]

17 minutes ago, betoney said:

 

From Kalispell, you could head South on 93 to Challis and then Stanley, Lowman and Garden Valley. 👍

I'll have to research this more. I was thinking of just taking US-2 all the way to Spokane and then B-line down to Oregon.

[betoney]

13 minutes ago, keithu said:

I'll have to research this more. I was thinking of just taking US-2 all the way to Spokane and then B-line down to Oregon.

If you have never been across the Sawtooth Range in Idaho, you owe it to yourself... It is stunning.