SS3K

[JAVGuzzi]

Starting on August 31st, Mark, Eddie and I did a SS3K from DeKalb, IL out to Bozeman, MT and then ended back in Loves Park, IL on September 2nd. So we did 3,011 miles in < 67 hoiurs. We met Sunday in DeKalb. Mark is from IN, Eddie from WI and I'm from MI.

We had decent weather, just some rain on Day1, cold out west after the sun went down, and some hot weather part of the day on Day 3. It was dry & dusty through Nebraska. We saw several completely dry river beds. Rode past a bunch of deer the night of Day1 between Casper and Buffalo. Most were just standing on the side of the road feeding. Why they like the side of the road is beyond me. But we did see two bucks with huge racks getting ready to cross the road.

EDIT: Forgot to mention it was very windy between Billings & Bozeman ( both ways ). Our bikes were at a constant angle as we went down the road. Apparently that's typical along that stretch of highway. There are warning signs with wind socks attached along the highway.

The toughest part of the ride for me was the 300 miles ride home the day after we finished. My old ST1100 clicked-over 100K miles on this ride.

Here is a link to Mark's Spot track : https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=23f285f43d20125530&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes

Attached is our Ride Plan. We pretty well kept on schedule each day.

EDIT: This was my first SS3K, Mark's second and Eddie's third.

 

[mcrigid]

Congratulations!

 

[JAORE]

Impressive.

 

[Ed.]

Nice. Thanks for the plan doco too, it is always interesting to see how different people do their plans. No better/worse just a reflection of how different people's brain do things differently. Everyone works out a way that works for them, but that doesn't mean we can't pick up ideas from what works for others.

 

[JAVGuzzi]

The times in the Plan were depart times, so we would know if we were on schedule, or not.

 

[Stephen!]

EDIT: Forgot to mention it was very windy between Billings & Bozeman ( both ways ). Our bikes were at a constant angle as we went down the road. Apparently that's typical along that stretch of highway. There are warning signs with wind socks attached along the highway.

Often are the times the Interstate through Livingston is closed and all the traffic is routed through town. The wind from the south through Paradise Valley gets funneled by the mountain ranges on either side and concentrate right into Livingston. I recall one time driving a 4-WD truck through there in the winter with the wind blowing so hard I was not so much steering the truck as I was suggesting the direction I wanted it to go...

 

[JAORE]

"EDIT: Forgot to mention it was very windy between Billings & Bozeman ( both ways ). Our bikes were at a constant angle as we went down the road. Apparently that's typical along that stretch of highway. There are warning signs with wind socks attached along the highway."

I used to live in the PNW and travel that road. On more than one occasion I've seen semi-trailers spilled out across the bottom of the slope. Wind took them right off the highway. Those wind socks are vital.