Home Safe from the Black Hills Rally

[aviationfred]

Jason, Teresa and I are back in Wichita. 701 miles in 11 hours and 10 minutes. Came back to 100*f weather.

Fred

[1tinindian]

I just got home from the rally, a total of 1266 miles round trip on the truck/ trailer and 506 on the FJ for the times we got out to play between the rain storms.

I have tons of pictures and video that I'll post when I get settled in.

Thanks to everyone that attended to make this one rally to remember, I had a blast!

Leon

[Firehawk068]

Ron (CapnRon) and I arrived safely at my house in Denver yesterday around 8:30pm

It was an awesome Rally! 

I really enjoyed the riding, but more-so, the sharing of food and stories around camp with all of you.
Thank you everyone for making this another special, and memorable Rally! 

For those that are still making their way home, or around the country, have a safe journey!

Post up those Rally pics! 

[Pat Conlon]

I'm still traveling. Just passed thru Flaming Gorge and Ashley via Hwy 191. Now in Green River Utah. Beautiful country. Perfect Weather. Tomorrow down to Arches, Canyonlands, Moab and Glen Canyon. Tomorrow night in Mexican Hat for a set up to run  Momument Valley, Az at sunrise on Wednesday morning.
With the combined mileage of the WCR Sierra rally and the Central rally it looks like I'll have over 5k miles... We shall see.
Randy's 1350 is purring like a kitten. What a bike. Life is good.

[aviationfred]

Pat, Ride safe and stay cool.....


Fred

[Derek Young]

Drove through the badlands and Wall,SD then stayed in Gillette,WY on Sunday. Made it to the KOA in Great Falls, MT for a nice campfire Monday night. Planning to unload the bikes and ride through Glacier National Park today. Will probably stop in Nelson, BC for a couple days to ride the Kootenays on the way home also. Should be home Sunday.
Great to hang out and ride with you all! Awesome rally!
Thanks to all that had a hand in planning it. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!
Special thanks also to Al's Bar and Grill for catering the event! It wouldn't have Been the same without you Alan!

Derek and Donna.

[movenon]

Made it home yesterday afternoon.  Garth departed this morning for PDX.  We had a tread separation on the truck, dented the truck up a bit.  Life go's on... 

Garth saved a semi-truck towing a enclosed double decked private auto transporter some major grief and very possibly someones life..  I will let him relay that information as my eyes were on the road between the semi and the edge of the road.  Garth did good. 

Thanks to everyone at the rally for putting up with the slow old guy .  Hope to return someday.  Did learn that Harley's actually can float slightly and the make pretty good debris strainer's when over a drainage grate.  All kidding aside I hope they had there bikes insured and do well in the future.  Not fun for anyone on the road to have there rides damaged.  It was a major storm and flash flood.  No FJ's damaged that I know of .
George

[pdxfj]

I departed George's house this morning and pulled into my driveway about 8 hours later.  Uneventful ride home and I managed to stay under the radar of the OSP.  Although others (cagers) were not so lucky.  Have to keep a sharp eye on the speedo of the fizzy.. all too easy to tick up to 100+mph and not even realize it.

Great rally and I look forward to the next one.

I'm sure I made that truckers day.  As George said we passed a double deck, enclosed auto hauler and by chance I happened to glace over as we were passing it and noticed something funky.  It took a couple of seconds to register in my mind and I realized the trailers kingpin was not seated in the coupler.  In fact, the kingpin was resting on the rear most steel cross brace of the tractor.  It only had inches to go before it fell off the back of the truck.  The coupler was almost completely uncovered.  Had the driver gone up any kind if incline the trailer would have fallen off.

Manged to get the drivers attention.  He was rather miffed at first but through hand gestures and yelling at 70mph he finally figured out what I was saying.  The look on his face was a combination of "HOLY FUCK!" and shitting his pants at the same time.  No idea what was in the trailer, but it could have been a very expensive and terrible crash.  I doubt the landing gear of the trailer would have supported the weight and forces at freeway speed.

George's tire throwing the tread was quite interesting.  We changed the tire changed and were back on the road in less than 30 minutes.  Not something that happens very often at all.  Both of us had a hard time remembering the last time we had to change a tire on a vehicle we owned.

[FJ1100mjk]

Got home right about at dark last night. Bombed it all the way home. 635 miles in 11.5 hours. A long hot day in the saddle.

Bike ran good, and no parts fell off. 

[Firehawk068]

Drove through the badlands and Wall,SD then stayed in Gillette,WY on Sunday. Made it to the KOA in Great Falls, MT for a nice campfire Monday night. Planning to unload the bikes and ride through Glacier National Park today. Will probably stop in Nelson, BC for a couple days to ride the Kootenays on the way home also. Should be home Sunday.
Great to hang out and ride with you all! Awesome rally!
Thanks to all that had a hand in planning it. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!
Special thanks also to Al's Bar and Grill for catering the event! It wouldn't have Been the same without you Alan!

Derek and Donna.

Derek, you and Donna did your share of catering as well! Also, George, Garth, Pat, CapnRon and the others who pitched in with the grilling.
It made for some awesome dinners at Camp.

Leon, I'm not sure how I missed saying our good-byes? Maybe we did, and I just don't remember?
I may have allowed myself a few too many beverages Saturday evening. 

John (DadsFJ) it was really good to meet you and your boys!
The other new faces as well, Dan (Giantkiller), Marty, and Texas Dave.

Fred, it was good to see you and your Crew again, as well as Kurt, Andy French, and even Papa-Lee came to this one!
Mike Ramos, you are a generous man! That's all I'm going to say. It was great to see you as well.
Randy, thanks for leading the way across the Amazon River!

To those that couldn't make the journey, you were missed. We spoke of a good number of you.

The riding was Epic! The friendships are second to none!
This Rally kicked ass!

Even though the weather put a delay on me getting my official sign hung on Saturday, a special thank-you to CapnRon, Derek and Donna for pitching-in to help me get it. 
I'll have it at the next one.

[movenon]

AL's Bar and Grill





George

[moparman70]

Cap'tn Ron where did ya get that hat --- it looks good on ya....... makes you look mighty Canadian eh!

[The General]

Rally`s Rock!

Really loving all the pics from both U.S. Rallys.

Glued to the screen down here with every pic, snippet & report!....they seem to get better every year no matter the weather!

Technology certainly helps, esp when it meets a lay back, basic fire, & camaraderie.

Soon we`ll be able to light the thermite with just a snap of our fingers!  http://digg.com/video/what-google-wants-to-do-with-radar 

[Pat Conlon]

Just got in via the scenic southern loop. All safe. A good long ride that was....

Thanks Fred and Alan for the great rally! Good times

[Capn Ron]

Cap'tn Ron where did ya get that hat --- it looks good on ya....... makes you look mighty Canadian eh!

I took on the nickname of "woody" while wearing that hat...I was honored to be bestowed with the title of "honorary Canadian" by Derek and Donna.  Although I got it to fit in my top case to take it home, if I'm carrying lots of camping gear next year, I might not be able to bring it back.  Derek and Donna promised to bring it to every rally, so I left it with them.  Another rally tradition that will withstand the test of time.  I look forward to the greetings as I awake at future rallys..."'Morning Woody!"