Rocky Mountain Roll- on Helena- my 2007 1200 Sportster Nightster ~PICTURE HEAVY~

This year I was fortunate enough to take my vacation during peak summer riding season- like STURGIS season.  The prime time to be out moto-ing on your bike- and I saw so many people I knew across the country because of motorcycles.  I met so many people again this trip across the country, because of my motorcycles.  I can not lend enough credit towards how my life would be COMPLETELY different had I not bought my first Harley and fallen in love with two wheels over 11 years ago... My life is full, and feels complete in so many ways thanks to Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and the community that embraces the true biker lifestyle.

I began packing for my trip one week from departure.  I felt pretty solid on my choices.  This time it was a summer trip- NOT October.  It should be warm the whole time, I'll only need one jacket- skip the leather, Shorts, tanks and one cropped hoodie. DONE!  Typical bathroom supplies, and this time, NO HOTELS, so I was prepared to sleep outside for the entire trip in whatever way I needed to.  Baby wipes, check.  Soap and washcloth, dry shampoo, towel and razor- check.

When I was packed for BRO last fall, I nailed it.  I felt really good about my pack- having the options to sleep in my tent, hammock, or in my military half shelter off of my bike- I had my sleeping bag and my sleeping mat, and my wool blanket.  So to my surprise, this time, I fucking did NOT nail it.  I did not know that storms in Montana can drop the temperature up to 30 degrees in like 5 minutes.  No Joke. It gets COLD.  This trip was an eye opener- it taught me new traveling lessons, it taught me new phone etiquette, and it also taught me to check, recheck, and triple check your pack before you fucking ride off!!  It also brought me new friends, beautiful views, and unforgettable good times.  And reminded me, that when you are on the road for weeks at a time, you have to roll with the punches, take what is given to you a day at a time (sometimes hours at a time) and realize that you are exactly where you are supposed to be at that moment, just relax and take it in!!!

Lets start with some basics- this trip was 3973 miles to Corvallis Montana and back.  I was riding a 1200 Nightster with a luggage rack and sissy bar, for my crap, stopping every 80-130 miles for gas, depending on how my back, arms, neck, ass were feeling.  I had one portable battery, that could charge my phone 3 times.  And a 12 volt plug ON my bike.. or so I thought..with a USB port for my phone or battery.
Helena was sufficient in every way, from carrying my pack, to navigating the sometimes treacherous roads of the Mountains.  I purchased and installed the IO Riser Mount from KlockWerks a few months before my trip, so I could test it to make sure it was sufficient and NOT going to suck on the road.  I had a heads up display of my map, and my music the entire trip, without fail.

I set out day 1 hoping to make it halfway across Kansas before I had to pull over to camp.  I made it just weest of Lawrence, Kansas as the sky started falling dark, and decided this would be the best place to use my free camping website and find a place nearby that I could camp for the night.  I found Clinton lake on my map, and headed down towards the campground the easiest way the map lead me- only one problem.. The map didn't tell me that the entire lake was flooded.

The road I had to take to get to the camp ground was a halo around the lake, essentially, with inlets every few miles to take you to the lake to various camp spots.  This road was not paved, and it wasn't quite gravel.. yet.  I would imagine after a few hundred years of cars and trucks and things smashing these tiny boulders I was riding through, it would be gravel.  But tonight, it was pitch black, I was wet and tired and hot and the golf ball to softball size rocks were making me mad as they sloshed my overloaded Sporty back and forth on the road.. causing me to expend MORE energy I didn't even have.   Riding Helena again after having a Softail for 2 years was a muscle memory game I had to play, and man it kicked my ass.

After the 4th inlet to the camp ground was closed, I decided to just skip the rest and head to the Primitive camp area that was located off of the lake- figuring it was all flooded and a lost cause.  The road to this camp was also a treacherous and medium sized boulder covered road- that had a little 45 degree hill right in the middle I had no idea if I would make it up or not.. I navigated this terrain while going live on Facebook- my phone mounted safely on my IO handlebar mount. 

As soon as I got in to the camping area, I picked 2 trees and threw my hammock up between them.  There was no putting up a tent tonight, no way.  After eating my gas station sandwich, exploring the scary ass murder hole outhouse, and trying to cool off (to no avail- it was HOT HOT HOT)  I slept swinging from the trees, listening to the random cars and campers, trying to put the smell of my own feet out of my nose until the sun came up... but the sun never came up.  It was an extremely cloudy day, and I overslept BIG TIME.  There was a storm coming, and now, I was going to be right in it for most of the day traveling West through Kansas.
This was my first 2 days, and I'm already thinking.. STAY POSITIVE!! IT WILL ALL WORK OUT!! and it did..

Patty's Heartland cafe in Pauline Kansas was just down the road and was a great gift, offering me a cheap greasy spoon breakfast, plug ins to charge my devices, and a bathroom.  The waitress was super sweet, and didn't mention how bad I must have smelled, asked where I was going and we chatted a bit while I finished up breakfast.  It was time to go get wet.

The rain didn't start right away, but when it did, it came down hard and fast.  The only way I could keep my tiny bike and myself on the road was to go FASTER than the storm.  Right?  So I was riding about 80-90 mph against the wind, and it wasn't blowing me around nearly as bad.. the only thing it DID do, was force water down into my intake and start to bog my engine down.  FUCK@! I threw my leg over my open air cleaner and just kept saying, come on baby, don't die!!! The rain and lack of shoulder on the road would have made it deadly to stop or pull over at this point.. and luckily, she kept going!

The rest of my ride to Denver was flawless.. good rides, easy to find free camping, and no problems.  When I got there, my buddy Ryan was ready to show me around, and hang for the night, so I

graciously took a shower (first one in 3 days) and partook in some Colorado Hospitality.  We went out to a few bars, had a rad steak dinner, and I even ran into some familiar faces from Clam Jam, and ended the night with a few more friends!  WHAT A GREAT VISIT!!!  Denver is on my "visit again and spend more time there" list. FOR SURE.

The next morning I headed out from Ryan's, and I was on a mission to Jackson- My Road Wife from last years trip, Jenn, and her husband Scott were going to be meeting me there, so we could ride to the final destination, Corvallis Montana, together!  And afterwards, they were headed Sturgis way as well- so we went together!!  It was so nice having companions that you love to ride next to, and it made those 5 days SO awesome!!!  The ride to Jackson was a long one, and I dodged a few more storms, hiding at a gas station, finally making it at dusk, to the campgrounds Jenn and Scott found, as the storm cleared and a huge Rainbow took over the murky sky directly above the campsite I was headed to.  It was one of God's signs telling me, I'm right on time.. and also my forever ride or die was riding with me, guiding me through the storms and the shit roads, to my friends- happily waiting with a cold PBR and flask of whiskey. 

We camped in Jackson that night, slept well and got on the road to go do some EXPLORING!!
Who in their right mind WOULDN'T see the sights our country has to offer when you are there, in good company and have time on your side?!

Super no brainer.  We dicked around through Yellowstone and saw what we needed to see, INCLUDING ONE BUFFALO!!!  We took all of the pictures and kept our sights on Corvallis.

Yup. thats about right.

"Do something funny" me: DERP.

Montana was amazing.  The Rocky Mountain Roll was a great excuse to travel the distance, and the scenery and rides out there DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Amanda Zito and her family were so gracious to let us stay on their property, and it was a perfect location to go see some great roads and scenery, I WISH we would've went across the border to Utah... I hear that was a sight to behold.  SO NEXT TIME!!

  Saturday of the Roll, Jenn, Steve, a group of fellas from Tennessee and my ride or die from California/Indiana, Rob, found a great little lake to go splash around in, and get some sun-

get to know each other and tell great stories, all while getting drunk in the most beautiful scenery EVER. We went to the farmers market that morning, where Rob found me a genuine buffalo tooth necklace, since I was so stoked on seeing one the previous day!!

derp-a-lerp

the scene at the farmers market wasn't bad

 The next day we all packed up and headed our own ways- We were off to Sturgis.

The first night out from RMR we got a hotel.  Good on Scott.  He was over the camping, and to be honest, a shower and a comfy bed were NOT a terrible thing.. this was day seven for me camping and day 4 with no shower... so the one hotel stay was in the books for the trip, and we woke up refreshed, well fed and ready to get to Sturgis!  

We made it to Stoneville Saloon, had beer and food- took off and headed to camp before dark!

I was leaving in the morning on my own adventure, so we partied all night, hitting up the Beaver Saloon- and I slept in my hammock peacefully all night!

It was bittersweet to leave these two love birds- I had had such a great extended weekend with my Road Wife, but they were staying for the Rally- and I had to be home in 3 days for the Clam Jam.  I had to BOOK IT out of South Dakota... but FIRST... sight seeing:

I hit up Custer State park, and on my ride out, I actually came across a group of bikes riding super slow on the highway, so of course I look over to see an old FL Harley chugging along.. I double take,and it's my buddy Kirk, who I met taking photos of his bike in Reiman's Harley-Davidson's 2017 calendar!!!  WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!?!?! I scream HI- and take off to Custer, to see more buffalo, and was slighted- not seeing another one the entire trip, so I hit Iron Mountain, (a MUST on a sporty when you're in the Rockies!!) and then headed out to hit the Badlands before I was really on my way away from the most gorgeous planet earth I've ever experienced! 

cornin around

does this dinosaur make my sportster look small?

 I stopped in 1880 town, I stopped in the black hills , I stopped to see WALL DRUG- and the corn palace.. WHILE I WAS IN MITCHELL I was told via facebook about the Klock Werks headquarters being there.. DUH had to stop- I'm running the IO mount on my riser- it's what holds my phone on, so I needed a picture there.

AND I found out it is customary to take a photo by the dumpsters in Mitchell

Thanks to Mailman for the epic pic!

raddest trash receptacle in the West!

 Brian was super cool, I got to meet Laura (fastest woman alive, aside from her mother) and everyone else who makes the place tick.  SUCH COOL PEOPLE.  I wish I had a bagger so I could give them more of my support by buying their products!!  I know for sure I need to acquire the IO mount for my softail.. its going to come in handy next year on my South East expedition!!!

This picture is my favorite, and is John Jackson, a buddy of mine who lives on the road doing his photog thing as Non-Stock Photo.  We ALWAYS ALWAYS "pass like two ships in the night" when we are on road trips, and as I'm shooting the shit with Mailman at the KlockWerks storefront, Guess who walks in.. UNREAL how awesome it is to see people you know when your across the country!!

So anyway, from South Dakota, I booked it to my mothers just 4 hours north of HOME, along the way I learned to check, recheck and double triple check my pack.. since my heated jacket WAS NOT tied down and flew off somewhere in SD, causing it to be a chilly dusk ride into Iowa.  I stayed the night at moms, she had a fire, warm dinner, beer and tons of hugs waiting for me, so it was a much needed pit stop!  I made it home in time to repack my other bike Thursday night, litterally 30 miles shy of the 4K mark I was going for, and I took off the following morning for CLAM JAM.. but THAT, my friends, is a different Blog.  

Make sure to hug someone today. make it a good one!