I head down to White Bird today, there is a Battlefield down there. Then I will ride up the Old Whitebird grade back to Grangeville and cut over on 13 to 12 and up and over the Lolo pass. Then South on 93. Not sure how far I will get..... Not in a hurry.

 

One thing Harley has going for it is a huge dealer network that's geared to taking care of the traveler first. Over the years, I had several times where I was traveling and in need of some servicing or repairs. I always had great treatment from any of the dealers I met.
It was nice to hear some positive comments about HOG towing. That was a nice setup they had for loading the bike. Any time I needed a HOG tow, they were prompt and equipped to tow a bike.
Rocky, glad you're back up & running. I'm enjoying reading about your travels & viewing some great pictures.

 

Rocky,

It was an absolute pleasure to meet you and hear about your travels. We wish you the very best and hope to see you soon! We'll be following you on the forum!

Kyle

 

I received some useful information regarding Sturgis that I received from my local HOG chapter that you may find useful. I hope it helps you plan your Sturgis visit.

HI HOG members,

Here may be some useful information for you if you are heading to Sturgis this year:

The sound of freedom will rumble through the Black Hills when thousands of motorcyclists join Harley-Davidson, the official motorcycle of the largest motorcycle rally in the United States, at the 77th Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally™ August 5-12.

“The great riding, the motorcycle tradition, the wide-open fun: It’s what makes Sturgis ‘Sturgis,’” said James Newton, Harley-Davidson U.S. Events Manager. “And, this year is even bigger and better. We invite all riders to roll into Harley Headquarters to take a demo ride, see the latest gear and accessories and meet up with Harley-Davidson riders from around the world who’ve trekked to the 77th Sturgis.”

Harley-Davidson will again rock the Black Hills from August 5-12, at its headquarters at the Sturgis Community Center on Lazelle Street and the Harley-Davidson Rally Point on Main Street. Scheduled events include music, parties, free demo rides on new 2017 Harley-Davidson motorcycles®, H.O.G.® member special events, the electrifying Wall of Death, and Harley-Davidson sponsored American Flat Track racing at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City.

To follow all of the fun in real time, tune in to #Sturgis on social media.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON™ RALLY POINT
(Main Street and Harley-Davidson Way)
The Harley-Davidson® Rally Point, a year-round space in Sturgis, will again host a number of special events during the Sturgis Rally. Conveniently located in the heart of the action, the Harley-Davidson® Rally Point serves as a handy location for riders to rendezvous.

· Opening Ceremonies and Kick-off Party for the 77th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally: Join Harley-Davidson to help kickstart all of the action, Friday, August 4 at 3:30 p.m.
· MISSION: “THANK YOU” Tour Stop: On Tuesday, August 8 at 10 a.m., Adam Sandoval of ScootinAmerica stops in Sturgis on his ride across the country to thank all who have served our country in the military and fundraise for Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). Join Adam and Bill Davidson as they surprise a deserving member of the military with the gift of motorcycle powered by the Harley-Davidson® Milwaukee-Eight engine.
· Inspiring Words From Two Who Served: As part of Military Appreciation Day, Tuesday, August 8, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) National Service Director John Roberts and Warriors Speak Spokesperson Deven Schei, who was an Army combat engineer in Afghanistan when his unit was ambushed, will share their stories on the stage at the Harley-Davidson Rally Point at 3 p.m.
· Tattoo Contest: Show off and see some amazing ink Tuesday, August 8 at this event sponsored by the City of Sturgis. Registration begins at 5 p.m. For information go to the City of Sturgis website.*
· Mayor’s Pub Crawl: On Tuesday, August 8, starting at 7 p.m., come out and tour the most iconic pubs in downtown Sturgis.*
· Beard & Mustache Contest: Witness the best facial hair in all of the Black Hills Wednesday, August 9 at 5 p.m. For information go to the City of Sturgis website.*
· Police Bike Giveaway: Tickets go on sale Thursday, August 3 at Rally Headquarters and Harley-Davidson Rally Point for a drawing at noon on Saturday, August 13, on the Harley-Davidson Rally Point Stage. The City of Sturgis is the sponsor.**
STURGIS COMMUNITY CENTER
(Fourth and Lazelle Streets)
Get immersed in Harley-Davidson attitude, fun and freedom at the Sturgis Community Center, headquarters for Harley-Davidson activity at Sturgis. Riders will see and experience the newest motorcycle customizations, sales and demonstrations of the latest Genuine Parts & Accessories and MotorClothes® merchandise, and the largest demo fleet in Sturgis offering free Harley-Davidson test rides. Unless otherwise noted, all activities are Aug. 5-12 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

· Jack Daniels Presents the 15th Annual Sturgis Mayor’s Ride: Kickstands up at 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 8; Join Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen along with the Rally Grand Marshall Jessi Combs and special guest Mayor Jody Reinisch, leader of the effort to make Ryder, N.D. the first-ever fully motorcycle licensed town in America. To register, visit the City of Sturgis website.*
· MDA Raffle: The Grand Prize bike drawing for this charity raffle will be at approximately 4 p.m. on August 12 at Rally Point. MDA is the sponsor.**
· Free Motorcycle Demo Rides: See and ride the full line of 2017 Harley-Davidson models including the new Street Rod and the new Road King Special and other Touring models, powered by the potent Milwaukee-Eight engine. The demo fleet also includes the nimble Harley-Davidson Roadster model, 2017 CVO models and bikes fully customized with Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories. Demo registration closes at 4:00 pm daily.
· Milwaukee-Eight Display Truck: Experience the all-new Milwaukee-Eight engine through engaging technical displays and hands-on experiences.
· See It. Try It. Buy It: Demo new Harley-Davidson helmets and riding gear when you demo-ride a bike. A selection of new Genuine MotorClothes will be available for purchase on site, including Willie G. and H.O.G.® Commemorative Merchandise and H-D Originals, from the H-D Museum collection.
· Riding Academy/JUMPSTART: Learn more about the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy program. Then feel the rumble of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on the Harley-Davidson® JUMPSTART™ Rider Experience
· Enjoy Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum Cocktails: The Knuckle bar, which will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at the Sturgis Community Center, will feature a selection of Sailor Jerry cocktails along with an interactive Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins Garage Bar pop-up experience. Sailor Jerry is the official spiced rum of Harley-Davidson.
· H.O.G.® Members Only Hospitality: Pick up an exclusive H.O.G. Sturgis event pin and commemorative Sturgis T-shirts, and enjoy daily refreshments from 1-3 p.m.
· Harley-Davidson Museum®: The H-D Museum will bring a slice of history and heritage to the Sturgis Community Center. Check out the WLA photo op bike with vintage logo backdrop. The Museum Shop will be selling exclusive Willie G. and H-D Originals merchandise. Located in Milwaukee, the Harley-Davidson Museum welcomes riders on their way to and from Sturgis.
· Daily Police Skills Presentation: Watch the ultimate in precision police riding with a skills presentation daily at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., & 3 p.m.
· Wall of Death: Come experience a motorcycle stunt show featuring the spectacular Wall of Death. The show happens daily at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Don’t Miss:

· Harley-Davidson Black Hills Half-Mile: Flat track motorcycle racing, the original American action sport, invades the challenging Black Hills Speedway half mile on Tuesday night, Aug. 8. See two American Flat Track (AFT) classes in action, including the premier AFT Twins series featuring the Harley-Davidson® Factory Flat Track Racing Team riders Jake Johnson, Brandon Robinson and Kenny Coolbeth battling a field of top competitors in fierce handlebar-to-handlebar racing action.
H.O.G® Rally Activities
H.O.G.® is pleased to announce that the Full Throttle Saloon and Pappy Hoel Campground and Resort is the official campground of the Harley Owners Group®. Located on more than 600 acres along Highway 79, it features private cabins, RV hookups, an Olympic-size pool, and the largest stage in Sturgis. It’s also the new home of the legendary Full Throttle Saloon. H.O.G. members are eligible for preferred pricing when booking a camping or RV spot. For more info, visit hog.com or pappyhoelcampground.com. The exclusive party for HOG members is at the campground on Thursday, August 10.

 

You bet Kyle. I did not mention the name of your shop ..... my bad.

Hells Canyon Harley Davidson, Lewiston Idaho.

Top drawer shop, in every way!

 

It was a great day. I started early, and just tied into a motel in Darby Montana. I visited the Nez Perce park just east of Lewiston and bought a book. Then rode down to Whitebird and walked the trails where the battle happened.

Then I rode up "old 95" and back to Grangville and turned onto 13 to get to 12. I thought about staying at the little town at the Junction of 12, but no place to stay, so I got fuel and water and headed up 12 towards Lolo Pass.

I stopped at the top and got the pamphlets I wanted. But not the book. I got a different one.

Then I ran down to Lolo, looked for a room, and found one in Darby.

Some picts.....

 

 

The Battle Field



Looking up towards the ridge



Looking down from the ridge



From the ridge towards the valley where the Nez Perce camp was.

 

It was damn hot. It's about a mile and a half up the hill with one shade tree and a rock to sit on. I rested on the way up and down. I took a bottle of water and it was gone by the time I got back down. No one else there. A nice quiet walk wit time to look over the battlefield.

 

Hwy 13 from Grangeville to 12. A great little ride.