SW Adventure

[Lapchik]

Thursday May 28th, 2026 (514 miles)
I had a decision to make this morning. My original plan was to continue to Cody today, Chief Joseph and Beartooth highway to hardin and Custer's last battlefield tomorrow, and then home on saturday. I don't think I have that much left in me for this trip. The last couple days when I wake up, my hands and ankles are stiff and hurt to the point where they don't really work without some stretching and effort. I know arthritis runs in the family, and I don't think it's that, but it could be an early indicator. Instead of two more days of cold mountain riding, I decided to head for the Black hills and see the Sturgis museum and then head home from there on Friday.

Nearly 300 miles of mostly straight road later, and one request to make a mandatory donation of $205 to the state of Wyoming for the privilege of speeding, I arrived in the black hills. This is my family's place to go on vacation, anytime we were not in okoboji anyway. I have been to the Black hills 12 times in 36 years. I have seen pretty much every time tested attraction and monument at this point, and I really couldn't care less about whatever hot new restaurant is the flavor of the season this year. Two things that I have not seen are the Roosevelt friendship tower, and the Sturgis motorcycle museum. I went to the museum first, and it's honestly a letdown for how important Sturgis is to the motorcycling community. The little St Francis Kansas museum from day two had more bikes generally and more rare bikes. The now closed anamosa Iowa museum also put the Sturgis museum to shame. After that, I went up the nice gravel road to the Roosevelt Tower trailhead. As you walk up, the trail to the left is the shorter path, and the one to the right is a little bit of a scenic walk. I took one up and one on the way back. Something to watch out for inside the tower is that all the steps seem to be a different height and it throws you off a bit. It's definitely a less traveled area, but I like the view at the Coolidge lookout tower in Custer State Park a little better. Both are wonderful places to get away from the crowds though.

I took a different road back down from Roosevelt tower, which was a horrendous mistake. There is free dispersed camping along the way if you are into that, but don't take a street bike down that road. Mount Roosevelt road and Denver avenue are not maintained, full of washboards and golf ball to football sized rocks, and have several small washouts. Or at least they do at the moment. One good rain storm and that road could be completely different. I am glad I have a skid plate, because it saved the oil pan on my bike at least three times on that road alone.

Not wanting to torture my shoulders or hands any more than that unfortunate mistake did, I started heading towards rapid City. I didn't want to deal with traffic, so I took Nemo road instead of 385. Nemo is a very gentle, easy road with nice but not drastic scenery. It also doesn't really go to or from anywhere other than a couple small resorts and wonderland cave, so the traffic is very light if there is any at all.

In the northeast corner of rapid city, I was going to get something to eat and get a hotel for a long night's sleep before the 550 mile ride home, but the hotels are ridiculous. If you have multiple (more than 10) reviews that mention bed bugs and you still feel like you can charge over $200 a night, I guess I'm not as dumb as they need me to be. I can't believe people keep staying there.

I got on the interstate, and was immediately greeted by that good old South Dakota wind. My cb500x Honda remained wide open from rapid City all the way to kadoka, except for the times when I had to let up to shift down into 5th gear. It was all this bike could do to maintain 65 to 75 mph against that neck wrenching wind.

I drove right by the badlands, having been there so many times, and also drove right past Wall because their rooms are still $100 more than they should be. Wall drug is interesting, but it loses its luster after a couple visits. I stopped in kadoka where the hotel price finally dipped under a hundred bucks a night. I'm staying at Grandpa Joe's place. The hotel, as I don't have any Grandpa's left. I got a complimentary water and a free seed company hat as I was checked in by the nicest lady.