Devils Tower Tour
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Northern Virginia
Devils Tower Tour
Five of us took off from Manassas, Virginia and headed West for 17 days. 2011 Roadglide, 2006 Street Glide, 02 Electraglide and an 06 Road King. Round trip to the turn around point which was Devils Tower in Montana and then back to Virginia on a bit more Southern route. We headed North West to Michigan where we boarded a Ferry for a nearly three hour ride across Lake Michigan to Wisconsin and the Harley Museum in Milwaukee. The roads there were by far the worst of the entire trip. Rolling thru Milwaukee was an obstacle course of potholes and just plain really bad pavement. Weatherwise we were fortunate in that we experienced jus a bit of rain in West Virginia which we just waited out at a gas stop and then had a little in Minnesota as we crossed the entire State in a full days ride.
Some of the things that stand out in my mind...Route 12 which went from East to West in the state of North Dakota. this road I think was the most impressive to me due to it's awesome view of distance as you crest several hilltops. As far as the eye can see you take in fields of green and yellow on both sides and not a car in sight. You cannot see the end of the road. the sun was going down and we were motoring at speed in order to beat the darkness. We didn't want to get caught out in the wilderness after dark due wildlife crossing the road,(hitting an elk didn't really appeal to anyone on our trip).
The Enchanted Highway, North Dakota. If you ever get a chance to travel this road..do it. Very cool sculptures bigger than life alongside a highway that in itself is a joy to travel.
My friends 2011 Roadglide brokedown on startup one morning in South Dakota. The nearest Harley dealer was 115 miles away. You can see in the video that we loaded it on a flatbed after waiting about an hour for it to show up. It took off and we loitered a bit before heading out knowing that we would most likely beat the truck to the dealer with time to spare. We did catch up to it and we did pass it but we may have been a bit too aggressive for some of the country folk on the highway as while looking for the dealer in town (GPS had it at an old location) we were pulled over by two cop cars that received a phone call about "A bunch of guys riding crazy" out on the highway. Fortunately we were doing everything right at the time we were being watched and the policemen (who actually were very cool) just let us know they were around and to have a good time while being safe. They even gave us proper directions to the dealer where my friend upon learning that his Screaming Eagle Roadglide had bent an exhaust valve Traded it in for an Ultra. His decision was based on a few things. First that he had had many problems with the bike since buying it new in 2011 (ECM related) and that getting the new parts for repair would take at least four days. He kicked the old bike to the curb and just about even traded for the Ultra. All in all we burnt about a day and a half to get him back in the saddle and on our way. Jamestown Harley, awesome guys , awesome dealer. Even had a keg on tap while we waited...
In Sturgis MY bike started making an awful sound (02 Electraglide, the favored when talking about the possibilities of a breakdown). Pulling over in a gas station we determined that the problem sounded bad enough we couldn't go on. We called AAA first off and got them underway and then made a phone call to Sturgis Harley who said they were too backed up and then recommended a guy named Porky down the road. Porky said HE was too backed up (Sturgis was ramping up as this was early to mid July) and so he recommended a guy named Mick. the recommendation came with a warning. Mick could be hard to get along with but if we could deal with that then he may be the best choice. WEll crap, Mick WAS hard to get along with but Hell, he just had attitude that eventually became a very entertaining part of the whole experience. He had me on the road in just under five hours after determining that I had a cracked lifter and needed a few parts replaced BECAUSE of the cracked lifter. The Harley dealer was 6 miles down the road so while one guy ran for the parts Mick tore the engine down. We hung out in his garage on one of his couches and just BS'd while getting things done. If your ever in SD near Sturgis needing help on your bike look for Blackhawk Custom V Twin on HWY 79. Be advised, Mick has attitude. Tell him Harry sent you. Maybe He'll remember me, maybe not. But I remember him, that's for sure...
Check out the video, if you have any questions hit me up. The story is too long for me to type, I have a lot of memories stored up from this trip that'll stay with me for the rest of my life. Awesome experience...
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
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Likes: 899
From: Omaha
Devils Tower Ride 1 - YouTube
Five of us took off from Manassas, Virginia and headed West for 17 days.
2011 Roadglide, 2006 Street Glide, 02 Electraglide and an 06 Road King.
Round trip to the turn around point which was Devils Tower in Montana and then back to Virginia on a bit more Southern route.
We headed North West to Michigan where we boarded a Ferry for a nearly three hour ride across Lake Michigan to Wisconsin and the Harley Museum in Milwaukee.
The roads there were by far the worst of the entire trip.
Rolling thru Milwaukee was an obstacle course of potholes and just plain really bad pavement.
Weatherwise we were fortunate in that we experienced jus a bit of rain in West Virginia which we just waited out at a gas stop and then had a little in Minnesota as we crossed the entire State in a full days ride.
Some of the things that stand out in my mind...Route 12 which went from East to West in the state of North Dakota.
this road I think was the most impressive to me due to it's awesome view of distance as you crest several hilltops.
As far as the eye can see you take in fields of green and yellow on both sides and not a car in sight.
You cannot see the end of the road. the sun was going down and we were motoring at speed in order to beat the darkness.
We didn't want to get caught out in the wilderness after dark due wildlife crossing the road,(hitting an elk didn't really appeal to anyone on our trip).
The Enchanted Highway, North Dakota.
If you ever get a chance to travel this road..do it.
Very cool sculptures bigger than life alongside a highway that in itself is a joy to travel.
My friends 2011 Roadglide brokedown on startup one morning in South Dakota.
The nearest Harley dealer was 115 miles away.
You can see in the video that we loaded it on a flatbed after waiting about an hour for it to show up.
It took off and we loitered a bit before heading out knowing that we would most likely beat the truck to the dealer with time to spare.
We did catch up to it and we did pass it but we may have been a bit too aggressive for some of the country folk on the highway as while looking for the dealer in town (GPS had it at an old location) we were pulled over by two cop cars that received a phone call about "A bunch of guys riding crazy" out on the highway.
Fortunately we were doing everything right at the time we were being watched and the policemen (who actually were very cool) just let us know they were around and to have a good time while being safe.
They even gave us proper directions to the dealer where my friend upon learning that his Screaming Eagle Roadglide had bent an exhaust valve Traded it in for an Ultra.
His decision was based on a few things. First that he had had many problems with the bike since buying it new in 2011 (ECM related) and that getting the new parts for repair would take at least four days.
He kicked the old bike to the curb and just about even traded for the Ultra.
All in all we burnt about a day and a half to get him back in the saddle and on our way.
Jamestown Harley, awesome guys , awesome dealer.
Even had a keg on tap while we waited...
In Sturgis MY bike started making an awful sound (02 Electraglide, the favored when talking about the possibilities of a breakdown).
Pulling over in a gas station we determined that the problem sounded bad enough we couldn't go on.
We called AAA first off and got them underway and then made a phone call to Sturgis Harley who said they were too backed up and then recommended a guy named Porky down the road.
Porky said HE was too backed up (Sturgis was ramping up as this was early to mid July) and so he recommended a guy named Mick. the recommendation came with a warning.
Mick could be hard to get along with but if we could deal with that then he may be the best choice.
WEll crap, Mick WAS hard to get along with but Hell, he just had attitude that eventually became a very entertaining part of the whole experience.
He had me on the road in just under five hours after determining that I had a cracked lifter and needed a few parts replaced BECAUSE of the cracked lifter.
The Harley dealer was 6 miles down the road so while one guy ran for the parts Mick tore the engine down.
We hung out in his garage on one of his couches and just BS'd while getting things done.
If your ever in SD near Sturgis needing help on your bike look for Blackhawk Custom V Twin on HWY 79. Be advised, Mick has attitude.
Tell him Harry sent you. Maybe He'll remember me, maybe not.
But I remember him, that's for sure...
Check out the video, if you have any questions hit me up.
The story is too long for me to type, I have a lot of memories stored up from this trip that'll stay with me for the rest of my life.
Awesome experience...
Five of us took off from Manassas, Virginia and headed West for 17 days.
2011 Roadglide, 2006 Street Glide, 02 Electraglide and an 06 Road King.
Round trip to the turn around point which was Devils Tower in Montana and then back to Virginia on a bit more Southern route.
We headed North West to Michigan where we boarded a Ferry for a nearly three hour ride across Lake Michigan to Wisconsin and the Harley Museum in Milwaukee.
The roads there were by far the worst of the entire trip.
Rolling thru Milwaukee was an obstacle course of potholes and just plain really bad pavement.
Weatherwise we were fortunate in that we experienced jus a bit of rain in West Virginia which we just waited out at a gas stop and then had a little in Minnesota as we crossed the entire State in a full days ride.
Some of the things that stand out in my mind...Route 12 which went from East to West in the state of North Dakota.
this road I think was the most impressive to me due to it's awesome view of distance as you crest several hilltops.
As far as the eye can see you take in fields of green and yellow on both sides and not a car in sight.
You cannot see the end of the road. the sun was going down and we were motoring at speed in order to beat the darkness.
We didn't want to get caught out in the wilderness after dark due wildlife crossing the road,(hitting an elk didn't really appeal to anyone on our trip).
The Enchanted Highway, North Dakota.
If you ever get a chance to travel this road..do it.
Very cool sculptures bigger than life alongside a highway that in itself is a joy to travel.
My friends 2011 Roadglide brokedown on startup one morning in South Dakota.
The nearest Harley dealer was 115 miles away.
You can see in the video that we loaded it on a flatbed after waiting about an hour for it to show up.
It took off and we loitered a bit before heading out knowing that we would most likely beat the truck to the dealer with time to spare.
We did catch up to it and we did pass it but we may have been a bit too aggressive for some of the country folk on the highway as while looking for the dealer in town (GPS had it at an old location) we were pulled over by two cop cars that received a phone call about "A bunch of guys riding crazy" out on the highway.
Fortunately we were doing everything right at the time we were being watched and the policemen (who actually were very cool) just let us know they were around and to have a good time while being safe.
They even gave us proper directions to the dealer where my friend upon learning that his Screaming Eagle Roadglide had bent an exhaust valve Traded it in for an Ultra.
His decision was based on a few things. First that he had had many problems with the bike since buying it new in 2011 (ECM related) and that getting the new parts for repair would take at least four days.
He kicked the old bike to the curb and just about even traded for the Ultra.
All in all we burnt about a day and a half to get him back in the saddle and on our way.
Jamestown Harley, awesome guys , awesome dealer.
Even had a keg on tap while we waited...
In Sturgis MY bike started making an awful sound (02 Electraglide, the favored when talking about the possibilities of a breakdown).
Pulling over in a gas station we determined that the problem sounded bad enough we couldn't go on.
We called AAA first off and got them underway and then made a phone call to Sturgis Harley who said they were too backed up and then recommended a guy named Porky down the road.
Porky said HE was too backed up (Sturgis was ramping up as this was early to mid July) and so he recommended a guy named Mick. the recommendation came with a warning.
Mick could be hard to get along with but if we could deal with that then he may be the best choice.
WEll crap, Mick WAS hard to get along with but Hell, he just had attitude that eventually became a very entertaining part of the whole experience.
He had me on the road in just under five hours after determining that I had a cracked lifter and needed a few parts replaced BECAUSE of the cracked lifter.
The Harley dealer was 6 miles down the road so while one guy ran for the parts Mick tore the engine down.
We hung out in his garage on one of his couches and just BS'd while getting things done.
If your ever in SD near Sturgis needing help on your bike look for Blackhawk Custom V Twin on HWY 79. Be advised, Mick has attitude.
Tell him Harry sent you. Maybe He'll remember me, maybe not.
But I remember him, that's for sure...
Check out the video, if you have any questions hit me up.
The story is too long for me to type, I have a lot of memories stored up from this trip that'll stay with me for the rest of my life.
Awesome experience...
Man I loved your writeup but had a hard time reading it with all the sentences running together.
I broke it up with a little spacing and enjoyed the read.
I'll have to look up "Mick" next time I'm near Blackhawk and tell him he's famous and have a beer with him.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Crisfield, MD
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,217
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From: WI
Thank you for splitting up the run onnnnnnnn sentences.
