20-mph self-portrait

20-mph self-portrait
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Mountain sheep

Mountain sheep
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Badlands

Badlands
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park
Originally uploaded by bastchild

I swung through the Badlands on route-240 to see the layers volcanic sediment that makes it so famous.

Helmet self-portrait

Helmet self-portrait
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Windy plains

Windy plains
Originally uploaded by bastchild

South Dakota rest stop

South Dakota rest stop
Originally uploaded by bastchild

It was a windy trip through the plains of South Dakota. I managed to ride leaning to the left. A trucker told me to take a secondary road, but I didn't, and the wind eventually calmed down.

Shredded pants

Shredded pants
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Super 8 Motel in Worthington, MN

Super 8 Motel in Worthington, MN
Originally uploaded by bastchild

After 510 miles, I stopped in Worthington, Minnesota, 60 miles east of Sioux Falls, South Dakota at 1030pm. I checked into the Super 8 Motel because it had free wifi. All the food places were closed by the time I checked in, so I went to the glorious Super Walmart and bought some frozen food. The rain pants I bought at the Walmart in St. Louis were shredded from the wind. It was cold riding, so I wore my thermals, three jackets, rain pants, and knit cap. That was all I had, but it was still cold.

Somewhere in Minnesota

Somewhere in Minnesota
Originally uploaded by bastchild

I entered Minnesota by crossing the mighty Mississippi River and noted that I would be running low on gas. With no gas stations in sight, I headed toward a small town off Interstate-90 called Rushford. A red BMW motorcycle stopped to see if I was okay. He recommended taking a different route back to the Interstate (rt 16 to 52), so I had a nice windy detour through a small canyon cut by a river as the sun was setting. It was the highlight of the day.

Amusement parks

Amusement parks
Originally uploaded by bastchild

The area around the Wisconsin Dells is plagued by tacky amusement parks and sights like "Ripley's Believe it or Not!". It is quite impressive in the number of places that surround the Dells. They must get many visitors in the summers. It was pretty dead when I was visiting.

Wisconsin Dells

Wisconsin Dells
Originally uploaded by bastchild

You can't see much from here, but you can take a boat tour to view the dells.

Wisconsin Dells

Wisconsin Dells
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Robert had to work the next day, and I had to travel. I got a late start and headed west toward Badlands National Park in South Dakota. It was more than 800 miles away, so I didn't expect to make it there in one day. I left after noon and stopped at the Wisconsin Dells to take a peek of the limestone gorge.

Dinner with Lois & Ken

Dinner with Lois & Ken
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Lois is out of frame on the left. Lois is Robert's mother. She cooked us a wonderful meal.

Michael running

Michael running
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Touchdown dance

Touchdown dance
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Whassup doc?

Whassup doc?
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Picking tomatos

Picking tomatos
Originally uploaded by bastchild

We picked Michael up from his first grade class and went to his grandmother's for dinner. She had him pick some vegetables from the garden.

Keshena, WI

Keshena, WI
Originally uploaded by bastchild

A small town in the Menominee Indian Reservation.

Route 55

Route 55
Originally uploaded by bastchild

We took route 55 down from Lakewood. It follows the Wolf River. We passed a group of Harleys lead by a BMW. I resisted the urge to wave.

Small-mouth bass

Small-mouth bass
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Crossing the stream

Crossing the stream
Originally uploaded by bastchild

I lost one of the lures the day before, so today I returned with Tevas and shorts to retrieve it. The water wasn't too cold, nor was the current very strong.

$25 mountain bike

$25 mountain bike
Originally uploaded by bastchild

We went to Lakewood to rent a mountain bike. They let me use a brand new Diamondback without a deposit, credit card, or identification. I, of course, returned it the next day.
We went mountain biking along dirt roads near Cathedral Pines. Then we came back for lunch (gas station broasted chicken with wheat bread) and more fishing.

Fall colors

Fall colors
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Close to the car

Close to the car
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Freshly broken limbs

Freshly broken limbs
Originally uploaded by bastchild

If a tree falls in the forest...

If a tree falls in the forest...
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Shortly after I fell asleep, I heard the rustling of leaves followed by a large cracking and more rustling. The next morning, I asked Robert if he heard it (no, but he had heard my snoring!). I went to investigate and found this tree that had fallen over next to the road.

Firewatcher

Firewatcher
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Tin can stove

Tin can stove
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Coke can stove

Coke can stove
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Adam made three lightweight alcohol backpacking stoves for me when we went skiing this year. I finally tested them out on this trip. This is the soda can stove. They work brilliantly and are cheap to make. The fuel is denatured alcohol from the paint section of your local hardware store. It boils water within five minutes.

Fishing with Me

Fishing with Me
Originally uploaded by bastchild

That be a small small-mouthed bass.

Peshtigo River

Peshtigo River
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Camplife

Camplife
Originally uploaded by bastchild

We were the only ones here, other than Ken the owner. The camp right along the river with nice tables and fire rings. There are showers and toilets, and a group area with a volleyball net, and even cabins. There's a rope course, and they offer raftng trips and atv rentals. It's a fun place especially at only $4.50 a person a night.

Wildman Ranch

Wildman Ranch
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Robert and I headed off into the hills, Athelstane, Wisconsin, for some fishing, camping, mountain biking, and Brokeback Mountain. Yeah, right.

Vincent

Vincent
Originally uploaded by bastchild

"Old Faithful". This used to be Robert's dog, but now it is clearly Sarah's. So much for "man's best friend".

Sarah and Robert

Sarah and Robert
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Dinner with Sarah & Robert

Dinner with Sarah & Robert
Originally uploaded by bastchild

(Vincent and Pepper at their feet.) On Sunday, when Adam and his family headed off to church at 1030am, I hit the road -- 399 miles to Waukesha, Wisconsin. I had bought thermal underwear, a knit cap, and rain pants in St. Louis, and pretty much wore all of this on this trip. I had pretty good weather, except for a few patches of rain, when I stopped at a gas station restaurant in Mendota, Illinois. I didn't get to Waukesha until 8pm.

Carnival fun

Carnival fun
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Bouncy ball

Bouncy ball
Originally uploaded by bastchild

You get six balls, and try to get them in slots. The total should be either less than 11 or more than 31. The ball is rubber and very bouncy and the table is not level. The sign should read " Lose BIG" because the prizes SUCK.

Catholic carnival

Catholic carnival
Originally uploaded by bastchild

We walked to the Catholic school and spent a few hours at a carnival. The boys occupied themselves with the games of chance.

Nolan playing soccer

Nolan playing soccer
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Hunter's soccer skills

Hunter's soccer skills
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Hunter is the smallest player, but here he takes on the opposing team's best player. His team lost by only one point, but Hunter made one of the goals.

Hunter's soccer skills

Hunter's soccer skills
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Agony of defeat

Agony of defeat
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Saturday is soccer day, and we went to two games to watch the boys play. Hunter is in a select club that plays year 'round and requires a tryout. Nolan plays on the recreational league.

Fish tacos

Fish tacos
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Yum.

Adam cooking fish tacos

Adam cooking fish tacos
Originally uploaded by bastchild

He made excellent fish tacos in Salt Lake City for the ski trip, and he did the same again.

Hospitality center

Hospitality center
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Of course, you get to have free beer here. I rode my bike, so I had root beer and pretzels.

Cans of Busch light

Cans of Busch light
Originally uploaded by bastchild

These were empty cans. The floor by the filling station was saturated in wasted beer -- a shame!

Vats of beer

Vats of beer
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Yes, that's all beer. There are many of these vats at the plant. There was a crazy statistic like if you had to drink all the beer in one vat, you would have to drink a 24-pk every night for the next 140 years. Or something like that. Once again, I may be wrong.

Beer pipes

Beer pipes
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Alpha beer is beer before it has gone through beechwood aging. Chip beer has gone through that process already. I may have this wrong, as I am not a beer expert.

Anheuser-Busch brewery

Anheuser-Busch brewery
Originally uploaded by bastchild

St. Louis is the worldwide headquarters of the Anheuser-Busch company. I took the free brewery tour.

Missouri River

Missouri River
Originally uploaded by bastchild

We went on a bike ride on the Katy Trail, a rail trail along the Missouri River. We started at St. Charles and went to Defiance 20 miles away. The parking lot in St. Charles was flooded.

Marty

Marty
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Also known as Moto-x and Mojo.

Nolan and Hunter

Nolan and Hunter
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Guestroom

Guestroom
Originally uploaded by bastchild

I found Adam and Rebecca's place around 830pm. It was getting colder out -- 61F I saw on a bank sign. It was dark, but they brought me in, fed me, and gave me a warm bed. Ah...

Me in St. Louis

Me in St. Louis
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Missouri river rising

Missouri river rising
Originally uploaded by bastchild

It was cold all day, and I wore three jackets and still got cold in the evening. I made it to St. Louis around 7pm. I went to the riverside road, but it was closed off for being flooded. That's a stop sign underwater. Hurricane Ike came through and dumped a bunch of water early in the week.

Nashville, TN

Nashville, TN
Originally uploaded by bastchild

The next day Dave had to work, so I headed off early.
This was my longest day in the saddle -- I drove 622 miles to St. Louis, Missouri. Around halfway was Nashville, Tennessee. I left at 7am, and got here around 1pm.
Note the "free" parking, just at the end of a metered space.

"Fishing"

"Fishing"
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Kennedy

Kennedy
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Carvel's ice cream

Carvel's ice cream
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Ian

Ian
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Carne asada rolled tacos

Carne asada rolled tacos
Originally uploaded by bastchild

This is my standard meal at Mexican restaurants. I reminds me of the 3 rolled tacos for $1 in Tijuana, but not nearly as good, of course.

Dave at El Sombrero

Dave at El Sombrero
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Dave didn't have to go to work until early evening so we went to buy some stuff for the bike, i.e. a new 12v power adapter from Advanced Auto Parts, and some clip-on sunglasses for my glasses that blew off at 70 mph four days ago.
We stopped for lunch here before picking up the kids.

Dave and Chris' guest room

Dave and Chris' guest room
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Sunday had good weather and Monday was predicted to be rainy across the region, so I took off for Gainesville, GA to see my friend Dave from medical school. It was 382 miles. It was great weather all the way there, but I didn't leave until 130pm, and I arrived around 8pm. After two hours on the bike, I realized my phone wasn't charging, and the 12v power adapter had corroded from all the rain from the previous days, so I had to navigate old school (with sea charts and a sextant).

Rob and Allison

Rob and Allison
Originally uploaded by bastchild

Rob took the bike around the neighborhood too.

On the lawnmower

On the lawnmower
Originally uploaded by bastchild

I took a spin on their lawnmower. Like Rob says, it's fun for about a minute, then it's just a chore.