Author Topic: Back from Star 2014 (Read 19163 times)

erniee · « **on:** June 15, 2014, 04:38:07 pm »

Had a great 2 1/2 days ride back from Rapid City. Took all 2 lane roads and had perfect weather. Never got warmer than about 75 degrees and no rain. The new FJR averaged almost 49 MPG for the entire trip. Today the bike got a good washing and a oil change. Ready for the next adventure. Hope all well with everyone on their trip home. A great star.

DirtFlier · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2014, 03:50:37 am »

I'd like to thank the officers and EC for putting on a great STAR!

Both Debbie and I had a great time. Having helped (only a tiny bit) when we had STAR in Marietta OH, I have firsthand knowledge of how much work is involved behind the scenes for months and months that is never apparent to attendees.

Thanks to you all!

Brick · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2014, 04:36:34 pm »

I got home Monday evening. Left western NC on June 1st got home on the 16th. 5,936 miles. I got to St Louis on Friday and my rear tire, stock from Yamaha Bridgestone Battlewing was gone. It and the bike had 6,303 miles. Not good and those were touring miles. I have gotten over 11,000 on a Metzler Tourance on my old Tamaha Super Tenere. I will not be getting anyone Battlewings that's for sure! I got a Tourance rear installed at NoMar in St Louis AND I had called on my way in and because of St Louis traffic I was late. Steve and Sue at NoMar waited for me! Great people!
Today bike got a wash, new oil, filter and final drive oil changed. It's all set all broken in! Too cool!!

Brick

DirtFlier · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2014, 10:05:52 pm »

Hey, I have stock in Bridgestone so I wanted you to keep fitting BattleWings.

Brick · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2014, 05:39:44 am »

Sorry Tosh... Not impressed with BW's...

Brick

GlibGuy · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2014, 11:51:52 am »

I got home late Saturday (6/7) - well almost as my chain came off about a mile from my home. I thought it was because the chain (with about 18k miles) was "fried" but turns out one of the jam nuts came loose so the wheel alignment was seriously off. Other than that my 3,428 miles were event free.

Quote from: Brick on June 18, 2014, 04:36:34 pm

I got home Monday evening. Left western NC on June 1st got home on the 16th. 5,936 miles. I got to St Louis on Friday and my rear tire, stock from Yamaha Bridgestone Battlewing was gone. It and the bike had 6,303 miles. Not good and those were touring miles. I have gotten over 11,000 on a Metzler Tourance on my old Tamaha Super Tenere. I will not be getting anyone Battlewings that's for sure! I got a Tourance rear installed at NoMar in St Louis AND I had called on my way in and because of St Louis traffic I was late. Steve and Sue at NoMar waited for me! Great people!
Today bike got a wash, new oil, filter and final drive oil changed. It's all set all broken in! Too cool!!

Brick

stevegrab · « **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2014, 11:44:02 pm »

Still not home my short version of my trip report follows.

John Blackman and I trailered to Rapid City, and after STAR we left on a week long trip planning to ride mostly in Montana with Glacier as one of our major stops. Since the Going to the Sun road is not yet open we didn't plan to spend much time there. Along the way from Rapid City we rode in the Big Horn mountains, Chief Joseph Hwy, Beartooth Hwy, Yellowstone (Gardiner to west entrance) then into Bozeman. Then we did a little of the Salmon River Scenic Hwy in Idaho and on north to Missoula. From there we headed to Glacier around the east side of Flathead Lake and enjoyed the afternoon riding and taking photos at Glacier.

The next morning a late spring snowstorm was headed for the area so we got out quickly. 150 miles riding in the cold and wet got us out of the storm and enjoyed some more good riding in the Lewis and Clark forest. We avoided the worst of what turned out to be a nasty storm with 2-6 inches of snow around the West Glacier area, wth 2 FEET falling at Logan Pass in the park. :-) Snow also fell in parts of Colorado and Utah.

From there we had two days to get back to Rapid City and were still in some cold and potentially wet weather but had decent riding and made good time. Our last highlight was a stop at the Little Bighorn Battlefield Monument. The day ended with some fun roads back into town including Vanocker Canyon and Nemo Roads two of the best from STAR a great alternative to I-90 from Sturgis.

We are now over half way home in Grinnell Iowa. The trip after STAR was a mix of slab/open highway at higher speeds and nicer winding/twisty roads. Beautiful and majestic scenery, more snow than my last visit to the area teo years ago, due to a harsher winter and being three week earlier. Montana is vast and open but there are also many good size cities and plenty of amenities. We covered about 3100 miles on the bikes over 11 days including STAR. With about 2700 miles in the car. I feel it is the best approach myself, droning across Kansas, Iowa Illinois, Indiana and Ohio just aren't for me.

Thanks to the EC and the many volunteers who made STAR a great time and provided a nice launh point for another post STAR trip out west.

Brick · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2014, 08:17:11 am »

GlibGuy... Whoa I'd say you are a lucky man. Glad you made it home ok.

Brick

Brick · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2014, 08:23:24 am »

stevegrab, excellent! Sounds like a great trip to me. I thought of you guys the other day when I saw on TV that there was 2 feet of snow on Glacier. Glad you didn't get hit with that. A bummer you didn't get to ride the run to the sun as it is amazing when open.

Brick

stevegrab · « **Reply #9 on:** June 24, 2014, 03:01:04 pm »

Quote from: Brick on June 21, 2014, 08:23:24 am

stevegrab, excellent! Sounds like a great trip to me. I thought of you guys the other day when I saw on TV that there was 2 feet of snow on Glacier. Glad you didn't get hit with that. A bummer you didn't get to ride the run to the sun as it is amazing when open.

Brick

Yeah I think Glacier is probably a better July or August trip, June weather is still too harsh. Had I know there was more to do than just riding the Going to Sun Road (Many Glaciers area on the east was open and had lots to see) I may have planned to get there a day earlier.
If I go back I'd also like to ride more in Idaho, the little we did of the Salmon River Scenic Highway looked great and appeared to continue much further.
Back at the salt mine now, but it was another western trip to remember.