Trip days: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8-9 | 10-12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20
Yesterday before leaving Keith's I realized that I needed to change my oil soon. So, I called a BMW guy in Ames, Iowa, whoes number was listed in the handy BMWOA Owner's Anonymous directory, to see if I could use his shop to change my oil. He was glad to help and we arranged for me to show up sometime this afternoon. I arrived in Ames on highway 30 at about 12:30pm and gave the BMW guy a call. He supplied directions and told me where to find an auto supply store to buy some oil at, and I got there, changed my oil, exchanged pleasantries, and was back on the road by 1:15pm. The BMWOA Owner's Anonymous is a great resource to say the least. It's sent out to all BMWMOA members every year and consists of dealer listings all around the world, and a vast directory of BMW riders contact info listed by city and state all around the country and includes the assistances offered be it a spare room, a work shop, mechanical assistance, coffee and conversation or what ever. I left Ames, Iowa heading north on highway 69. I then proceeded west on highway 175 to Lake City, then north up to highway 20 which I followed west all the way to Sioux City. I was a little startled to see that gas in central Iowa comes in 3 flavors: Unleaded (87 octane with no alcohol), Unleaded Plus (89 octane with 10% alcohol), and Diesel. Nothing greater than 89 octane... Suprisingly the 89 octane is on average 5 cents cheaper per gallon than the 87 because of its alcohol content. In any case I was little worried putting something less than 90 octane in my bike as I've had some pinging with 89 octane back home. It normally wouldn't be a problem, but I've done some engine mods that like all the octane they can get. The bike seems to run fine on the stuff though, so all is well. From Sioux City I rode north on I-29 past Vermillion, and then zigged and zagged on some county roads over to highway 19 north, then 46 west, 37 north, and finally 44 west to Platte where I stopped for a bite at the only open restaurant in town, Boom's Burger Drive-in. All afternoon I had been dodging rain showers across South Dakota and generally missed them, with a few drizzly exceptions. No real rain to speak of though, and a nice afternoon of very fast straight roads across the endless farmland of the midwest. I even experienced some speeds that topped my previous trip record by 15mph and had the bike just touching the redline on the dial at 8,200 rpm in 6th gear. Of course now I am near sea level and not at the 3,200 foot altitude of the high Nevada plateau. Still, I'm pretty impressed that even with all my gear hanging off the bike and the added aerodynamic crutch of not being able to get my head down below the windscreen because of my tank bag, the bike can still top itself out. I found a nice South Dakota state park, the Snake Creek State Recreation Area, just west of Platte on highway 44 and have made camp for the night. This is definitely in the top 3 campgrounds of the trip so far, and it's the cheapest too at only $10 plus a state park entry fee of $3. I have a wonderful easterly view of the Missouri river from my tent site which is at the tip of a little peninsula edging out into the river. Tomorrow I'm planning on riding through the badlands, then Mt. Rushmore area and into Wyoming.
Total Mileage for Day: 491 |
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©2003 John Meloy <jam@nas.com>