The Crazy, Full Throttle Saloon, Sturgis, South Dakota.
It was the same problem as Monterey, so I’m beginning to think something is causing this to happen and that means the gear box, I’m getting 2000 miles before the bearing starts whining, shit I’ve bought a lemon! Jim, a strange name for a German, was pulling the primary case off again, he seemed to be very particular in his examination – I like this – I told him the story of Monterey but he wasn’t paying much attention to me, concentrating more on the bike – I like this also – I left it with him and called later in the day for the verdict, “the bearing was replaced” he said “but the race it sits on wasn’t, they did half a job and that’s what has caused it to happen again”. Good news, if he is right? We will see in another 2000 miles. This time I decided to go north to Colorado after Jim told me I should ride through Monument Valley, North Arizona, where most of Easy Rider was filmed, a far better ride he said. So after losing another couple of days, I was back on the road, Henrietta purring beneath me. Monument Valley is just before the Colorado border and the sky was looking black ahead, here it comes, another drenching. Doesn’t matter, I usually ride through and then dry out, not this time son, I did come out but arrived into a sandstorm and cross winds that were trying real hard to blow me and the bike into the desert. On with the helmet and bandana over my face and away we go, I came out of it after a while and continued on to Denver, found the hostel I was looking for and approached the reception. “Can I help you sir”? “You certainly can young man, if you have a bed I can sleep in”! “Err yes, we can put you downstairs in the workingmen’s quarters”, “no problem, do you have anywhere I can park my bike for the night”? “Yes there is a place out back next to the bin” “Ok, back in a bit”. I went down the road where I’d parked the bike, brought it round back where I was told to and on my way back to reception, stopped in for a piss, I went to wash my hands, saw my face in the mirror and had a little giggle. No wonder he looked at me strangely and offered me the cellar, I did dry out, but the sand had stuck to me and I looked like one of the black and white minstrels. We both had a little giggle and he gave me a bed upstairs with the regular folk! A well deserved shower, a good night’s sleep and I was ready to go to the post office to pick up my insurance that I know Dave has sent from Monterey a week earlier. “No nothing here for you sir” (the people are very polite in America), I on the other hand was getting very pissed off with the US Postal Service. It took me no time at all to decide to forget about the fucking insurance and get on the road to Sturgis which I was beginning to think wasn’t going to happen! Riding through the Rockies from the Arizona border to Denver, was a real treat but North of Denver on 85 into Wyoming the countryside changed into wide open rolling hills, perfect grazing land that had me thinking of those Sunday afternoons as a kid watching westerns. The names of places I’ve come through, Laramie, Durango, Cheyenne, I am in the Wild West, in another time, I’d be on a horse. The Iron horses were becoming more visible the closer I got to South Dakota, every service station was packed and the camaraderie was evident, there were registrations from all over America, all heading for Sturgis for the 72nd Black Hills rally. They’re here from as far away as Perth, Western Australia and the countryside is changing again as I we approach the Black Hills of Dakota, through Cheyenne Crossing where people and bikes were already congregating for a beer and a bit of lunch, over the mountain to Deadwood, where the bikes lined the streets and finally into Sturgis. Wow! I was expecting big, what I got was, ENORMOUS, The rally hasn’t started yet but the rumble of the V twin was everywhere, I was looking for the Buffalow Chip camp ground, which I eventually found, out the other end of town, I checked in, pitched my tent and after 40 years of dreaming about it, I was finally here.
I am….THE LONESOME TRAVELLER….travelling east….BE HAPPY!