Rovin' 'Rauder's Sturgis Report 8/08/99

 Well I slept late (7:30am) and finally got off at 9 am. 6 bikes at the Des Moines Motel 6. Had a great ride 340 miles to Mitchel SD. Famous for the Corn Palace (you have to see it) The throttle lock bike inner tube is a god send. I'm sure I'm known to a number of travelers as "the nut riding 'no hands' at 85 mph" passing semi's, etc. So be it. It was really cool as I got used to the rubber throttle lock. Hands feel better now than they did yesterday!

 The land evened out a little as I went. Iowa is rolling hills, and it gets gentler in South Dakota. But it is all up a hill or down a hill. Iowa is beautiful. Big skys, farms, forests. South Dakota is more flat lands, but isn't flat (I can't explain) More zillions of miles of farms, corn, soybeans, etc.... Nice people at the stops. Good food too. It's a great country!

 Arrived Mitchell, Motel 6 (where else? clean, cheap) and found a good beer and burger at the Mitchell saloon. Saw the Corn Palace. Good real burger. Great Coors(s) on draft. Ran into a number of bikers, no Suzuki riders (everything else but Suzukis).

 Land is green, people really nice, riders EVERYWHERE. I'm getting near to " Meca" it seems. Look forwards to leaving in the early am and making the Monday pm ride at the Buffalo Chip. Will post pictures then.

 JimG MIG 229 on the road with "Bessy" Life is good!