Sturgis 2013 anyone here going?

[VentureFar]

So RogerII and his wife met up with VentureFar at the Sturgis HS at 7:30.

We didn't see another venture in the parking lot so we ate and talked.

I met Vincent from NYC on Main Street ( RS venture )

And invited him but he couldn't by make it.

Wish more came but rogerII and his wife hit it off.

So that was a success.

VentureFar...

[Phoneman1981]

I am glad that at least a couple of members got together. We are still planning on heading up tomorrow, hoping to meet RogerII and Lorie somewhere along the way.

[XV1100SE]

We rode thru Sturgis this afternoon. Between the Badlands and Sturgis we saw several 2nd Gen Ventures but no one waved, honked, called out on cb....

 

We didn't stop (other than at lights and stop signs) so couldn't really look for Ventures that were parked let alone their owners. Definitely a site to see with a the bikes and people.

 

We are in Sundance Wy tonight staying at the Mountain View RV Park and Campground. Anyone headed thru Wyoming keep the place in mind - nice park.

[bj66]

I came across a Venture on my way into Sturgis between the Full Throttle and town. I pulled up beside him in the 35 mph zone and hollered at him. He was a member here and I cant remember his name. I think he was from NY, and was wearing a neon green shirt with a pipe fitters union logo on the back. It said Lansing NY I think. He was riding a black venture. He said my Road Glide looked kind of funny and wondered where my Venture was. I would've liked to talk to him more, but 4 lanes of bike traffic at 35 mph didnt favor visiting. He turned off shortly after. I think that was thursday morning.

 

I wish I could've made it to breakfast, but I already had plans and couldnt change them. Maybe next time.

[VentureFar]

I met an older guy - older than me on an RSV at glencoe.

Said he is retired and lives in Florida. Has 60k miles on his 07.

FYI will never camp at glencoe again.

VentureFar...

[dvuch1]

Got back Thursday. Stayed in Spearfish. Beautiful ride all around. Sturgis is a bit crazed but a great experience.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Its only 51 more weeks till STUUURRRGGGIIISSS!

 

[bj66]

From what I saw, attendance was way up. It got crowded early, like about the thursday before the official start. About Monday and Tuesday you couldnt hardly walk down main street. People started leaving about Weds. Thursday of this week our campground had emptied by well over 1/3rd. I guess people are coming earlier and leaving earlier.

[Phoneman1981]

We live relatively close. Could not come early this year. Rode up yesterday. Arrived in Custer before heavy rain and pea size hail came. Rode to Johnson Siding for breakfast. Continued on over to Sturgis for the day. Enjoyed the ride. Hung out all day. Lots of congestion as we left. Arrived back in Custer just before dark.

[Phoneman1981]

We enjoyed another partial day of riding before leaving. Stopped and met a couple of other Venture and RSTD owners. Invited them to join this wonderful group. Actually had 3 RSTD's and one 1100 VSTAR parked beside one another at the Blue Bell Store just before noon.

[VentureFar]

Well I had another great Sturgis vacation.

Cut short on both ends. Couldn't leave LA till Monday and had to leave Sturgis Friday noon.

My bike is now parked at the Denver airport ad I am in Connecticut at a company function. Be back to Denver Friday night and then continue for Several days meandering colorado and Utah enroute home.

Vacation interrupted for business. :-(

But on the bright side vacation extended :-)

I have only been on this forum- and an RSV owner since March but I already feel like I have a whole lot of new friends.

Thanks Ventureriders!

 

VentureFar...

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Be back to Denver Friday night and then continue for Several days meandering colorado and Utah enroute home.

 

If you have the time, while in Denver, you could ride out to Idaho Springs and take the scenic ride up to Mt Evans. Its the highest paved road in North America (14,264 feet) and quite an adventure on a motorcycle. But if you ride up there, be aware of a few things:

 

Make sure you have a jacket and gloves...its coolish up there even in summer. Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin, even if the air feels cool. At that altitude, the sun is INTENSE. Bring water to drink.

 

Ride up early, and ride back down before 2 PM or so. Afternoon breezes will make riding difficult.

 

Up above the treeline, there are no guardrails. You will be in FIRST gear on some of the hairpins. If you suffer from vertigo or fear of heights...do not ride up there on a bike!

When you arrive at the top of the world and are looking at the horizon, and walking around, take a few breaks.

If you smoke or have had altitude sickness, pay attention to your breathing.

 

Take rest breaks if you feel dizzy.

 

All this is just a warning...in case any of this affects you. Some airplanes cant even fly this high! But if you're up to it, you will enjoy this very unusual ride to the sky.

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Evans

Edited August 12, 2013 by tx2sturgis

[VentureFar]

My Evans is a great ride. I lived in Denver for 3 years and rode it 3x.

Being a dirt bike - trail rider my ride up the mountain consisted of continuously passing flat landers. You are correct. Or some it is a harrowing ride. For others who are accustomed to "goat trail" riding it is a freeway.

Actually I will be riding Guanella pass road from the Grant side over to Georgetown.

When I lived there it was closed due to a slide. It is about 36 miles but only 3 are unpaved.

Thanks for the suggestions. I highly recommend Mt Evans too.

VentureFar

[Guest tx2sturgis]

My Evans is a great ride. I lived in Denver for 3 years and rode it 3x....

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I highly recommend Mt Evans too.

 

 

Well ok-fine.

 

 

 

Maybe someone else will land on this page in the future and need some info about Mt Evans.

 

So there-ya-go.

 

[bj66]

Brian,

 

I've been up Mt. evans in a car while visiting my brother. Good thing he drove....I dont like heights, and I watched a DVD player all the way up and down. I was ok when we stopped. We would get out a few times on the way up and walk around. I could do that, but didnt like the driving. I could face the mountain out the passenger window, but couldnt look out over the countryside and see the dropoffs etc. I loved it up on top. Its kind of neat to see somebodys name or initials written in the snow and its over 3 or 4 years old. Plus you stand and look down at Pikes Peak off in the distance. If I remember right it was 72 degrees at the bottom, and about 37 on top. They told us to watch like mile number 8 for fog.....It wasnt fog, it was clouds. On the way down, we had the van in low, and we stopped a time or two to let the brakes cool.

I've had the chance to go to Beartooth every year for the last 3 years on the bike, and I wont go. I am afraid of what I will run into on the bike and dont know if it would be good for me.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Brian,

 

.... I am afraid of what I will run into on the bike and dont know if it would be good for me.

 

Cool story. Now just cuz you have a Harley, I will add this part:

 

Being fuel injected, My ElectraGlide was a good match for the altitude.

 

The ignition part of the motor ran great. But oil pressure? Whooda thunk?

As I piled on the altitude, I noticed that the oil pressure gauge was dropping.

 

Not from heat, or low rpm, but from the lack of air pressure in the system to operate the gage..I assumed.

 

I'm not sure exactly what was going on, but when I got up to around 12,000 feet, the gauge literally showed ZERO psi of oil pressure. Revving the motor did not change the reading.

 

Yes, I worried about it, but the motor sounded, you know, more or less normal, So we kept going.

 

I dont know if the oil lost viscosity, or the lack of air pressure was a factor...all I know is that when your gauge shows zero you cant get your mind off of it.

 

Well, later, as we descended, the gauge started working again, and all was well.

 

I've never figured that one out. Maybe the physics guys on here can explain?