May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days | MKL Sportster

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Terri is anxious to leave NJ!

Stopping for a break in Port Jervis, New York

Arrival in Indiana

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Who knew Indiana had beaches?

Terri enjoying the Chicago night

Arriving at the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District

Each house is a work of art

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Wright’s Moore-Dugal Residence

Wright’s Hill-Decaro House

Arriving at the Art Institute of Chicago

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Ommmmmmmmmmmmm………

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Chicago’s skyline

Terri at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

Arriving at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

Terri posing in an old colonial house

The Walnut Grove chapel

MKL cooking the old fashioned way

A mud-house!

Waiting for Ms. Beetle

Where I really belong!

The Wilder Inn, with marketing tagline by Borat….

Entering South Dakota – the stretches are loooooooong!

Terri enjoys the rolling green hills

MKL does the same

Arriving at the famous Wall Drug store

Cowboy figurines are everywhere

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Getting into the gambling mix with the locals

Thar’s gold in them there hills!!

A cute squaw, no?

All hail Chief Tancsak!

Terri being mauled by a buffalo – we hadn’t seen one on the road yet!

A real ladies man…

Arriving at the Badlands

Terri rushes down to explore the cliffs!

The scale is vast – stretching out as far as the eye can see!

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Continuous 40-50 mph winds made standing still a challenge

Great! Another thing to worry about…..

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 daysMay 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

It almost looks like you’re in a cartoon – the colors of the landscape are like nothing we’ve ever seen….

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Terri does some light reading over breakfast at the KOA in Mount Rushmore

There they are!

As soon as we parked the bikes, these mountain goats came out of nowhere and walked right up to us!

Here’s one close-up.

Terri poses with our new friends

Big G’s profile, by sculptor Gutzon Borglum. The head is over 60 feet tall!

The mountain goats soon moved from the mountain to the road

My “Glen Heggstad style” attempt at photography

Heading out

The Crazy Horse Memorial – mini-scale statue in the foreground, actual in the background.

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

There he is…

Close up

Terri by Crazy Horse

Parking the bikes outside the Memorial, waiting for a blast

BOOM! The Memorial is carved from the mountain using explosives

Our first Buffalo sighting

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Arriving at tranquil Lake Sylvan

Fishing – the water is as clear and still as a mirror

Exploring….

These 1-way passes through mountains are common out here – let’s hope a Suburban isn’t coming the other way!

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

The buffalo are now everywhere – getting closer to the road too!

More wildlife

Nice and curvy…..

Lots of buffalo babies about – don’t get near one while Mom is around, though

Terri heads off to see more

Passing these guys slowly, and cautiously.

The buffalo dwarf a small car, and can run very quickly!

Nice landscape to ride in

Did we mention curvy?

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Roads to die for are everywhere out here….

Here, you have to watch for crazy drivers and crazy animals!

Breathtaking to ride through

Deadwood at night….

I couldn’t resist….

View from our cabin

Cabin K302 was ours for the night

Towing the heater back to front desk at the KOA.

Terri shows off her new bling. We got engaged May 7.

Whoa! Amazing to behold Devil’s Tower…..

Terri enjoys the rays

Incredible – Native Americans consider this landmark Holy.

Mountain climbers… Crazy!

Terri in foreground

MKL in foreground

Native American prayer cloths hang from the trees

Did we mention the stretches are long?

8,500 feet and climbing! 10 minutes ago, it was 80 degrees and now it’s 40 with snow on the ground!

The first of many excursions off-road. My RT sometimes thinks it’s a GS!

Lakes are still frozen out here…

To quote Neil Peart, “Adventures suck when you’re having them.” Another “shortcut” suggested by the Zumo ends in mud and frustration.

Tooooo risky, baby! Turning around in search of pavement.

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

When it snows here, it SNOWS!

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Waking up bright and early again — When it snows here, it SNOWS!

The entrance to Yellowstone. Not paved, of course!

OK, there’s a 2,500 pound buffalo headed for us. Let’s give him the right of way!

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

This is not a joke – an actual spectator at Old Faithful.

Old Faithful doin’ her thang

These guys are getting a little too close for comfort

Rainbow

Dinner at Bullwinkle’s

Terri briefly considers replacing her R1150R

Mamas and babies – do not disturb!

More babies

A waterfall at Yellowstone

Steam vents, releasing steam at around 2002-80 degrees F.

More steam vents

Sulfuric ponds

More ponds – smelly!

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

The different colors represent different water temps

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Sulfur!

Lakes still frozen….

It was so quiet, you could here the ice melting in the Lake.

The RT blending in nicely

Having made it this far, I am one happy motorcyclist!

Terri and I

More danger – we went anyway.

Icy banks…

Terri riverside….

Hiking back towards civilization…

The “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” – H-U-G-E!!

This tree hangs on for dear life…

Terri at the summit…

Then the sun came out and all the hills started glowing golden…..

Talk about postcard perfect….

So vast….

En route to Glacier – what’s next, the “Wham Bam Cafe?”

Well, we did get engaged…..

Terri’s R1150R now has some battle scars….

A veritable bug massacre adorns the R’s front end.

Her left side system case latch also broke, prompting this setup.

Going To The Sun Road – all but 16 miles still closed due to snow.

The paved section open to us….

Wet conditions mean roots grow out instead of down….

Hiking towards Avalanche Lake

The RT ready to explore further…

The hike continues…

More danger…..

Hiking still…

Terri finds shelter….

Nice scenery…

There it is – Lake Avalanche!

MKL enjoys the fruits of the hike….

Headed back….

The river moves with authority!

Hiking the Trail Of The Cedars in Glacier….

More beautiful scenery

Every year, bridges and roads are destroyed by landslides when the snow melts.

Another river shot…

Arriving at Arches

Terri by the Arches entrance

Climbing up….

Amazing views all around!

Lots of little critters everywhere….

Terri mid-hike – it was getting HOT now.

MKL sweating it out….

Terri consults her maps…

How did these rocks end up like that?

Terri’s headed off again…

The RT gets some rest….

Unreal scenery…

Hiking up into the park…

Arches..

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Terri exploring…

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

Terri and I rest after the hike…..

The colors are so rich….

Another interesting arch….

Terri and “Herbert the German” – he bought a new Softail in Florida and took 8 weeks to tour the USA on it. He was at 16,000 miles and counting…..

Another scenic shot….

Terri’s heading off once again…

A fantastic breakfast in Moab…

This time, we planning on getting near the Delicae Arch…

Hiking straight up, in the heat…

Desert flowers….

There it is! Delicate Arch – what a hike!

MKL with Delicate Arch

The bikes are back about 2 miles that way….

Terri and MKL by Delicate Arch

Posing on the way back down….

Terri poses proudly, as she is (a very small) part Ute Indian.

Ute petroglyphs….

Look what we’re headed into – on the way to Canyonlands….

It’s gonna get real wet, real soon!

Terri pushes on….

Here we are!

Appealing ride, yes?

Throwing a few curves into the mix…..

More canyons….

The view at the overlook…

The RT, ready to head off…

I could get used to these types of roads!!

SO beautful….

MKL posing….

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

This woman’s ventilated hat provided much fodder for comedy on the tour.

Buttes…

So, uhhh, what is this thing exactly?

Another postcard moment….

Terri enjoys the same…

Terri shows off her I-Pod, which make the looooong straights more entertaining.

We’ve got to cross over Lake Powell, and since the bikes don’t float….

All loaded up….

What a view….

MKL enjoys the same….

May 2007: Short Way ‘Round Cross Country Tour: BMW Oilheads Across the USA! 9,200 miles through 22 states over 30 days

AHHHHHHHHH! My aching feet soak in the Colorado River….

View of Colorado River

Tank, at the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon

We going up, up, up!

Terri shows no fear, unlike her fiance!

Terri and Holiday, next to Tank and MKL.

The whole damn Mule Crew

Map showing the trails of the Grand Canyon

MKL’s Certificate – Harder than an IBA Ride!

Terri’s cert

Giving my ass a break from Tank…

Terri keeps going….

View at a rest stop…

We made it! Just in time to catch an Indian Dance Show at the top.

Indian drummer….

A Chapel built into the mountainside in Sedona.

We are literally “Standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona…”

Entrance to the Petrified Forest National Park

Terri as we approach Painted Desert

Parked for the night at the famous Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, AZ – right on old Route 66.

A view of our motel….

MKL poses by motel entrance

Terri and I by our teepee for the night…

Terri’s Sidi boot was being patched up while we waited

Route 66 sign

Breakfast at Joe & Aggie’s famous cafe on Route 66

Who says you can’t be in more than 1 place at a time? MKL simultaneously in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The coal-fired locomotive on narroe gauge railroad, coming to pick us up!

Terri outside the train station in Durango

MKL posing by the train

Snowing in Silverton!

MKL by the locomotive

Terri ponders sitting on the snow-covered bench

Downtown Silverton. Woooo-Hoooooooo!

View outside the train headed back towards Durango

Another trainside view

The train climbs pretty high!

Roundin’ a corner…

The famous Strater, where we stayed in Durango.

The infamous haunted Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO, where Stephen King was inspired to write “The Shining.”

Heeeeere’s Moshe!! The Shining runs on a loop non-stop on the hotel’s TV system.

View of the Rockies from the Stanley

So now we see where he got the name of the hotel in the Shining….

A genuine Pet Cemetery at the Stanley. Animals don’t last long here….

MKL on the stairwell….

View of the Stanley from afar…

Exploring Rocky Mountain National Park with “Chain Gang Phil,” an avid F650 rider we met over breakfast at The Egg and I.

Terri and I at a rest stop. Climbin’ waaaaay up!

Terri and Chain Gang Phil.

Getting close to the summit….

MKL and the RT getting ready to crest Trail Ridge Road, the highest continually paved highway in the whole USA – 12,183 feet!

View from Trail Ridge Road.

Terri poses by the RT on the way back down past 20 foot snow banks! Brrrrrrrrrr….

Couldn’t leave the Stanley without going near Room 217, where Stephen King stayed.

Look what I found in the parking lot of the Hyatt in Wichita on Memorial Day. We weren’t going anywhere! The RT got new Metzelers the next day.

At the White Horse B&B in Fayetteville, WV

Terri bonds with the two golden retrievers at the White Horse — Terri bonds with the two golden retrievers at the White Horse, WV

Terri checks out the New River

All appeared calm at first….

And then things became more spirited….

A shot of our brave guide in back…..

Class 5 rapids….

Lunch break on the New….

Our guide keeps our resolve up….

Rocks approaching!

And the rapids are picking up again….

I decided to float downriver….

Passing under New River Gorge Bridge, the longest arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

View from MKL Float-cam

Still floating…..

One final rush…..

Terri & I with our guide.