Earache

Looks like we're definitely going to continue on to Montana and Idaho on this trip. So myself and my bud, who will meet up with us somewhere on the trip or at the first hotel, will just be along for the first day of the ride. We usually do pretty close to 1,000 miles on the first day of our trips, so this won't be any different.....we're just gonna keep track of things this time.

On the second day, we'll just continue on to Kalispell, MT.

As long as Earache doesn't panic over the Kringle delay we will defiantly take the southern routel.....

What?!?!? No kringle?!?!?!?!?

That would definitely be a better route to avoid delays and traffic, no doubt.

Not sure yet, but I may continue westward to Glacier National Park, Idaho, Oregon, etc after Sturgis. So don't worry about making a route just to get kringle just for me. But when I get some, I'm posting pics here to make all jealous.

I'm not sure of the intended route through Chicago, but I'd really suggest taking I-80 west to I-294 north. Taking 90 to 94 through town is a mess at the best of times and there will be stop and go traffic from Cermak to about Western. Then again at the Eden's Junction. 294 also has several oasis' that are easy on and off in case we need to regroup, fuel, whatever. 

There aren't a lot of easy on / off fuel stops on 90 / 94 until you get pretty far north. Getting off south of town lands you in some less than savory areas.

Just before we head out, it'd be wise to check the current construction map to avoid whichever route has the most construction on it. A little road work can add hours to the ride through town.

The Skyway Toll is about $2.00 for iPass users and $4.00 for non users. Indiana also has a toll here also, $0.40. Dunno why it's not on the map Tonik posted a link to. It's at the base of the bridge crossing the Calumet River, right after the Illinois / Indiana line.

Personally, I'm not at all worried about the costs - either way is gonna cost a small amount. I just don't wanna sit in traffic for an extra hour plus. My office was in Glenview, Illinois for 27 years and drove both routes weekly - both took about the same amount of time when there was no construction and off rush hour, but 294 was always less traffic and generally faster if there was any amount of traffic.

.....and to be sure to stop at Mars Castle for a kringle if we go that way.

Obviously a very wise man.

The Castle has a full bar in it for those so inclined. Might be too early for me.

Also, if any of you have an iPass, or the Ohio equivalent, it saves a buttload of time at the tolls and you even get through the tolls for 50% less. If ya don't have one, might wanna look into getting one.

I'm 6'1" and a svelte 240 lbs. 

I guess you guys can just call me "Stick" 

 I will need a 5x I can get one and get it to you if needed

. XL Tshirt for me.

 

 

Shirt: XXL

. And I'm down for a shirt too 3XL. 

Damn! We're gonna have to change this tour to "Fat Asses Across the Plains 2014" !  Good thing we didn't post our ages in the thread or else it'd probably be the "Old Fat Asses Across the Plains 2014"  

Okay - made reservations for Thursday night in Oacoma and Friday in Sturgis at the Quality Inn and Super 8 respectively.

I'm not 100% sure what I'll do after that yet. Might stay longer or just ride all the way back home. Have to figure that out later.

I may have an extra bed in my room for  nights 1 and 2. A friend of mine may come along if he can get off work early enough. Won't know for another few weeks. Won't hurt to have an extra bed available at the last minute anyway.

Shirt: XXL

Ok, I will get on hotels tomorrow. Glad to hear you might be joining us.

Put me down for a room by myself (the snorer's are scaring me!). If it's a room with two beds, I'll keep an open space for last minute joiners to the fray.

Have we started to get hotel reservations yet?

I checked a few in the Deadwood area and some are already kinda full - might be a good idea to get some rooms nailed down soon.

Thoughts?

I thought about t shirts briefly, then realized a bunch of guys wearing sore butt t shirts and traveling together might give the wrong impression.

I think it needs to be done. We're gonna need some manly colors and images on the shirts to get away with Sorebuttapalooza though.

I'm thinking black shirts with skeletons, bazookas. AK-47's, Jack Daniel's bottles and Chuck Norris ' face emblazoned on them.

This is getting more interesting to me, I keep checking the thread. Not sure if I could pull it off, but I meant to go west last year and ended up in Duluth, MN instread.

Sent while riding

Come up to Indy the night before and we can ride up to the meeting place off of I-69 / I-80 in the morning. I can most likely get ya a cheap / free hotel room.

Dunno about you fewls, but I'm jonsin' for a Kringle!

My, what a big Wankel you have!

Mi Tierra is the other place located across the street from La Margaritas, see: http://www.mitierracafe.com/about_history.html

It;s called market Square (who'd have guessed). See: http://www.sanantonio.gov/marketsquare/

La Margarita is teh big Mexican place - excellent grub. Located at 120 Produce Row. See: http://www.lamargarita.com/

my girlfriend wants to do the river walk, idk what it is I'll have to look it up.

The Riverwalk is downtown, across the street and down the steps from the Alamo.

The Walk is lined with food places, steakhouses and bars. great place to go to eat.

I'll have to look up their names, but there are two mexican places in the Market area that's a couple of blocks west / north of the Riverwalk area. Pretty damned good eats at both. they are located on either side of a small road / alley.

I'll have a look on Google and get their names and addresses for you.

Also, try to check out the bridges over the river at sunset - shiiloads of bats live there and it's pretty cool to watch them all take off at sunset. We stayed at a hotel on the River that had a bar on their patio so people could watch and get boozed up at the same time. I think it was a Hilton or a Radisson. Pretty close to the capitol building.

Although, I might ask you to build my hotrod. (No. I will never tire from whoring that reference)

Jerry Lee Lewis was the Devil.

Ding a ding Dang my dang a long ling long.

Being Christian doesn't mean they can't do bad things. I know it makes some other Christians feel better to hear that they are a Christian business but to others it can also be a red flag. ....

That was my point - it'd be like saying "We're Hardcore Republicans"  - all off the hardcore democrats would go elsewhere. I'd not want to offend any of the potential market by saying shit like that. I've got plenty of other flaws in my personality for offending them without adding fuel to the fire.

Id really like to take the wife out and share everything with her but every time I bring it up she talks about driving the car out with the whole famn damily. My boy was with me last time and I really don't think my daughter would appreciate it. And I really would rather be on the bikes but the wife isn't good for much more than a couple hundred miles a day on hers.

Trailer to Denver and then get on the bikes there. I did that with my wife once and it worked out pretty well.

Can't say I was missing the bike ride as I drove across Kansas in air conditioned comfort, sipping on a pop and listening to tunes.

, ill just try and jump in if i can, i don't want to plan around me then something happen where i cant get the time.

This is pretty much the case with every trip. People have lives and stuff changes.

I'll keep ya posted on any planned dates as soon as they are finalized.

Last minute trips are always fun too - let me know if you can get away at any time and maybe we can get a trip in.

Would love to man if my schedule can line up, and i if can keep up with you seasoned road warriors. Any idea when your next one will be other than the Iron Butt, the IB just dosnt sound like my kind of gig.

I do one around 4th of July and another in late August or early September. And can always wiggle another one in there if need be. Just let me know when you might be able to do 9-10 days on the road and we'll set one up.

I do a ride to Colorado, Utah and Arizona 2-3 times per year - let me know if you wanna come along on one of them.

From one of last year's rides:  http://ohioriders.net/index.php?/topic/103240-taking-the-irish-westward/

What does christianity have to do with running a business?

Pains me to agree with Magley.

Not like a "Christian" wouldn't ever fuck anyone in a business deal.

I'd avoid a place that made claims like this - leave religion out of it and keep that crap to yourself.

Edit: In before the lock!

So last year, was it just a case of people thinking they should be in the fast group when they really should have started in another one? ......

That wasn't it, one guy lowsided on some gravel that he didn't see - he was just about 3 feet off of the line that everyone else was on. Wasn't even going fast when it happened.

I think that was the only incident in the fast group.

I can go whenever.

Fast group if they'll allow me again on the BMW.

Only got to ride about 10 miles last year due to the crash in the group,.spent rest of the day hanging out with InYaZz.