Midwest to Madison!

Head east young man! Or is it getting over the hill man!? I woke up pretty early. I guess I was excited to leave but also felt like I should of slept a little more.

(PIC From the “head East band” Album)

I packed it up, got a little breakfast from Iron Horse Inn, splashed some water on my face, and did a run through checking the bike for anything out of the ordinary. Tires, Check, Gear, check, Chain, noot soooo fast! The chain did look a little loose on the way up to deadwood and it was getting worse. So not being totally mechanically inclined but realizing I have to take the time to learn how to work on it, I tried tightening the chain.

You tube video experts check! Done! Looked good! So I started to head towards sturgis on my way out, if it wasn’t going to hold up, I thought I’d stop there since there was a dealership. So I stopped near the dealership took one more look, and it looked worse! So of course I went into the dealership showed them the chain and they said it looks as if its not going to tighten after 13000 miles, I’ll need a new one. (Enter bow your head in shame for not tightening pic here) Or maybe it did need to be replaced!? Oh well can’t take a chance!

I was actually hoping to do that in Toronto before I flew into Europe. Oh well, instead of just the chain I decided to do both chain and sprockets. Don’t want to have take it to the dealer again!

Now it’s 12:30, and heading to Souix falls for 400 mile jaunt looks pain staking because I want to make a pit stop at Mount Rushmore. Which means i’d potentially get in after nightfall. Man up Sinan! Give it a shot! By the way who doesn’t want to see five heads carved into a mountain?

Honestly it was ok! There were a lot of people, it was hot, DID I SAY, a lot of people and kids there? Eating ice cream, dropping ice cream, and pointing at the guy with full riding gear instead of the heads! I took a few pictures and was out! I suppose it would’ve been cool to hike up to it.

Heading east I knew what to expect, or did I?

LOLING! Yep I did! There is believe it or not something very meditaitive when riding a motorcycle through nothing! It makes you sleepy! So at the sign of something remotely interesting I decided to stop:

270 miles of the 400 I wanted to do. I’ll take it! Water, River, it was actually a beautiful oasis!

To my surprise…. because I don’t do too much research, it was the Missouri river! The longest river in North America! It starts in the rocky mountains of Montana and flows East and south until hits the Mississippi, 2341 miles. I know because I looked it up 🙂

So what do you do when you see a stream like the missouri. You jump in! I jumped in, then went in to the local pub to watch the warriors win! Oh and hung out with a work party/convention! Love to see the dynamic between alcohol and the working peers unfold, entertaining to say the least :)!

Woke up purty refreshed!! Alright my goal was to get as fas east as possible, so Im out!

By this time the scenery is the same, and the roads are straight as can be. I’m singing to myself in my helmet feeling pretty good! All of a sudden the clouds take a quick turn for the worst. I’m watching right in front of me a lightning storm. So what you do when this happens…..find the nearest COVER! What pops up are gas stations and a few restaurants! Ahhhhaa! Sports bar! Perfect! Just outside of Souix falls!

So I’m sitting in the restaurant, drinking coffee! (No booze and riding boys and girls!) And I notice on the TV it says Tornado warning! WE DON’T GET TEERRNADA WURNINGS IN CALIIIFORNYA! What do I do? Suppose i’ll post up or wait it out! In this case I waited it out for couple hours, got back on the bike and sure enough! POW, PING! Lightning again! Now I’m being told something here, and this picture of lightning hitting a tree spoke loud and clear. Why was I the only motorcycle out and about? HMMM!?

So I only made 190 miles into Worthington, Minnesota! Posted up yet again and no water sources for me jump in this time. Now folks, if you REALLY want to be a fly on the wall. Ride a motorcycle. The amount of times I’ve stopped and heard conversations I otherwise would never would of heard, that make me laugh, is truly awesome!

On a bike you stop frequently, for bad weather, for gas, you stop to go to the bathroom, stop to fix your tie downs because your too lazy to do right the first time ;)…..You stop because your hungry, stop because you feel funny, stop because you notice a dead animal, but don’t recognize the animal!

Either way along the midwest you here trials and tribulations of the pastor in the church. You here why O.J. Simpson got away Scott free, “If the glove don’t fit you must acquit!!! You here why Aunt Sally can’t get a job because she’s too much into here reality shows. IF the scenery isn’t entertaining, certainly the random conversations I heard made up for it!!

The hotel was nothing to take a picture of sooooo….I m off again! The sun was shining and I was ready to cover some ground.

Now the way it works I research where I’ll stay, either the night before I leave or a couple days before, and as it turns out one of our kickboxing students at studio fit owns a yoga studio in Madison, Wisconsin. So I messaged Angela who owns blissflowyoga.com, and told her i’ll be riding through. She helped me find some camping spots and told me to come take class! After 2 weeks of riding and indulging, ABSOLUTELY!

The camping Spot was Lake Mendota a 40,000 year old lake!

Now before I found this spot I rolled into a town called La crosse, Wisconsin! After miles and miles of flat lands, I rolled in, and surprised yet again by what I’d see. A mountain to ride through followed by a HUUUGE river! Yes, that would be the Mississippi.

As I pulled into the DT area of La crosse, it reminded me of the 50’s or 60’s era. I definitely did not grow up in that era, but for some reason thats the first thought that came to mind. I pulled up to an irish pub…hmmm recognize a theme? I’ll tell you why I do later! 🙂

As I go through the doors, I’m pretty exhausted by the heat and ride. Two ladies are sitting there, and one asks me, “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” I’m a little surprised at this point because the extent of my interactions in the last few days were with people just saying Yes’m, and no’m! I just haven’t had too many inquisitive people, lately!

I give them the low down, she says welcome to La crosse and hands me a magazine while she says, “This will give you some info on our town!” Cool thanks!

It turns out the article on the back is hers and has to do with her traveling for the first time alone. Being a single mother and finding the time to be on her own! Now if I could reference the article I will, so if your reading this, and I’m at loss for names. Send me the info and i’ll put it up 🙂

It was fitting and inspiring ! I love hearing stories of people stepping out of their comfort zone. It gives me comfort :)……….and of course if you see a stream like the Mississippi what you do? Yep, jump in! The ladies gave some info on where to jump and that’s exactly what I did. It was warmer then i thought it would be, but still refreshing on a hot day.

So I made it to Madison, unpacked at Mendota and went directly to where Angela told me to check out. A brewery on the water, on the campus of University of Wisconsin! Memorial Union it’s called, and wow what a beautiful setting for these college students. Who would’ve thought!

There was live music and a setting that pretty much reminds of Germany’s many Beer Haus’s! Now at every place I visited, I was told that, Madison is the happiest, drunkest town, I think what was said, IN AMERICA! I have to tell you that I might believe that. Everybody was super laid back, nice, approachable, and depending on the setting YES drunk :).

The next morning in need of a little Yoga…

Thanks Ali, just what I needed to work out the moto kinks!

Angela was able to take me too lunch to graze with her brother….which turned out be just the meal I needed and a nice conversation with a familiar face. A farm to table restaurant. Thanks again Angela! I’ll return the favor when you get back to sonoma :).

Madison was short lived as well, and by now I’ve got a full head of steam. Ready for the next City! CHICAGO! Woohoo!! I’m moving fast, and if I don’t slow down, I might forget something like say a wallet…………