Sturgis NO!!!

Sturgis…….is a no go…this saddens me very much…it’s that pesky thing call work again…it’s like a double edge sword…

the job gives you the money to go on such rides but it also has the POWER to take away the dream at the drop of the hat.

You might remember from one of my older post

http://bigalscompound.blogspot.com/2009/03/smoke-out-rockingham-north-carolina.html

that the company I work for, AT&T, may be going on strike

in August, August 8th to be exact. Well I meant to save an email I got from work the other day and post it here (sorry I lost it) but it basically said that since I’m management I have to be able to be in Connecticut

within 24 hours of the strike date…yea you guessed it, that’s just about the time I had planed to be at Sturgis…this would make it almost impossible (due to the long ride) for me to get my bike home then catch a flight to Connecticut in time. So, you see, I have no choice but to cancel my trip this year…but there is always next year. Well till next time…ride safe.
Big Al

Motorcycle rides; when is too far to far???

Morning everyone, I’ve got a question for you. I guess this goes out to the more experience motorcycle riders out there but anyone is welcome to chime in. How far is just too far to ride? Here’s my problem, I’ve been thinking of riding my bike to the big Sturgis Rally this year.

THE PROBLEM? …It’s in Sturgis, South Dakota and I live in Petal, Mississippi. That’s a little over 1500 miles one way…oh yea and I would only have a week off from work to do it. I just did a little work on Google maps and it looks like 3,442 miles round trip. Yeah I know, I added a side trip back through Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
It just looked like the proper time to get some of those pesky northern states added to the States I have been mapping, out of the way (see map below).

LETS BREAK IT DOWN…I would have 9 days off (Saturday-Sunday) lets say 3 of the 9 days for the Rally…so that leaves me 6 days to get there and back…3,442 divided by 6 = 573 miles a day of riding time…hmm is that to much??

I know, I know it can be done…but is it too much too really enjoy yourself? Truth is, it's more about the ride for me, the rally itself. Well lets just say I’d love to say I’ve been there, but I know myself well and feel sure I’d only spend one or two days at it at the most. For me it’s the journey…not the destination

as many bike riders have said before me. I guess I should mention that around 400 miles in one day is the longest I have ridden in one day….I do remember it to be an easy ride, with energy to spare. So what do you think…easy ride? Or, is it something I should think long and hard about?
Big Al