Greg writes:

Sunday July 16, 2006
Most of the riders peeled off today to head home to either family or work commitments. Henry and David have 4 days to get to Vegas, the Western group has 3 days to get back to San Diego, Bill and Mike had to get back to their shop in Philly, Moe and Christine had to get to Indiana for family concerns, and both Cris Dopher and Mike Maynard are closing on houses in the coming week. Those two headed out about 4:30 this morning, hoping to qualify for an Iron Butt Association certification on their way back to the east coast.

Of those who were here, there are only me, Alice, Matt, and Fitch remaining. Fitch is having some issues with his bike (more on that later), so we think we’ll stay here for a day or so to make sure he gets where he needs to be, etc. I also want to get some specific pictures with Matt on Iron Mountain Road, but he needs to scrub in those new tires for 50 to 100 miles first.

We decided that as much as we enjoyed the hospitality of the Fair Value Inn, we’d check a couple of others in the neighborhood to see what they could offer us. Turns out the nice manager of the Quality Inn, Sarah Jorde, matched our price from the Fair Value, so we’re sitting poolside (indoors), doing our laundry, enjoying the wireless internet and waiting for the heat to break. My, my, my… brrr… it’s cold enough in this air conditioning I may have to go jump in the hot tub to warm up! Just outside it’s over 110 degrees, but you’d never know that from the position of this extremely comfortable couch, frosty beverage at hand… “Oh waiter… the ice in this drink appears to be wilting, could you fix that? Thanks so much…” Tough digs, but we’re determined to brave through it as long as we can stand it, for the sake of the ride of course.

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Bill Writes:
Hi folks. Thought you might like to know. Mike and I are sharing a suite at the Super 8 in Sparta, WI. It has a jacuzzi, and a TV that is approximately 50" (ish) wide.

I heard from Mike Maynard today. He was about 200 miles ahead of us. He was having a small problem with one of his hardbags so Cris took off in search of the elusive Iron Butt. Not sure where Mike ended up.

Hope all are doing well and staying as cool as possible. Minnesota was brutal but it's supposed to be a bit cooler tomorrow (below 100!) We're hoping to be home Tuesday night.

Later
Bill

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Mike Maynard writes:

I resolved the hard bag issue...a sheared bolt, with a couple motorcycle tie downs from Sears in Lacrosse, WI with pictures to prove it. I did make my 1000 miles, I ended up just outside of Gary, IN at 1:00AM on Sunday night, with nearly 6 hours to spare! Left Gary around 7:00AM on Monday and rolled into Methuen, home sweet home, Massachusetts around 12:30AM this morning. I'm tired...
All said and done, I completed 1995 miles in 41 hours, if my math is correct, which it may not be considering I am still working on a minimum of sleep.
Hope everyone is safe and well....

Thanks!
Mike "Old Yaller" Maynard

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David and Henry write:
Dear All,
Henry and I didn't get too far today, it was around 10:30 when we left Rapid City and it was hot! We headed to the Devils Tower for lunch. Then we aimed ourselves for Douglas Wyoming but only got as far as Gillette. A Comfort Inn with a pool, we were steaming. We ot caught up on Highway 14 with the forest fires and watched the helicopters dropping water.

David & Henry

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Frank writes:
I made it as far as Moorcroft on I-90 after the party Saturday night.  Sunday I took the interstate to Buffalo then West on Highway 16 through Yellowstone, out the North entrance and up Highway 89 to Livingston, MT.  Should be in Missoula tonight.

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Loren writes:

After the bucolic party at the Winter’s summer home (I love that!) in extreme eastern Wyoming, replete with nectar and ambrosia and a short nap, the Western LRLR declined an invitation (challenge?) from the Eastern LRLR to compete in the evening’s go-kart race. Good thing too, sounds like “Shark” would have whipped us too. Instead we planned our trip home. We had 1500 miles, almost exactly, to cover in three days. That’s an easy, 500 miles a day.

We saw Mike and Bill off from the Fair Value Inn around 6:30 am. Then Woodstock, Cutter Kate, Buckeye, Sox and I departed for points south and west. We rolled rapidly past Mt. Rush-by, then tarried a while at the Crazy Horse Monument. This is a “must see” in the Black Hills and really much more impressive than Rushmore. So far the temperatures were mild—almost too cool. But after we fell off the mountains and onto the Wyoming plains, the temps shot up to the low 100’s, the humidity nearly the same and the winds cross and volatile. I’m sorry, but southeastern Wyoming is just plain (get it?), unadulterated, invariably and incessantly BORING!!! And northeastern Colorado ain’t much better. We ricocheted off Denver and ended up deep in the pocket of Silverthorne, CO.  Rocky, snow-spangled mountains; mild temperatures and a welcomed respite from Why?Oming.